9 Months Series: The Dawn of a New Knight
by Beth C
Summary: This is a series that will consist of 9 chapters, one for each month. Bonnie has a secret. COMPLETED AT LAST!
1. Finding Out

Finding Out  
  
By Beth C  
  
Summary: Bonnie seems to have this little problem…  
  
Rating: G – nothing bad at all  
  
Disclaimer: Knight Rider is copyright to Glen A. Larson. Don't sue guys... I only borrowed them. I'll put them back when I'm done... I promise...  
  
Feedback: Certainly... Trekie386@aol.com. No flames, please.   
  
Author's Note: This is part one in the 9 Months Series. There will be 9 parts in total. I hope you enjoy!  
  
*****  
  
Bonnie groaned as the semi turned around a rather wide bend in the road. Normally she didn't mind the long rides in the Foundation's Mobile Unit, but lately it seemed that she could feel every twist, turn and bump that the driver could find. Each one made her wish she had never agreed to get into the back of the infernal machine.   
  
She clamped one hand tightly across her mouth and waited for the waves of nausea to wash over her. The semi came out of the curve and straightened out, settling into a gentle rocking motion. Bonnie swallowed the bile that had risen up in the back of her throat, waiting to see if the meager breakfast she had eaten was going to stay put.  
  
For the moment, it appeared that it would. She sighed as she removed her hand, quelling the desire to get up and run to the small toilet in the alcove. She was lucky that she was on a state-of-the-art trailer; it boasted not only a small kitchenette but a sleeping area with a double bed, and a fully equipped bathroom with sink, toilet and shower stall. The onboard computer facilities were the best money could buy. When it came down to the FLAG program, Wilton Knight had made sure the Knight Industries spared no expense.   
  
The incidents of nausea were becoming more frequent as time passed. When they had first begun she was just recovering from a rather nasty head cold. She had dismissed the bouts as just another symptom. The head cold had cleared up, the nausea had not. She began to suspect the real reason behind it somewhere in the third week. She had never been regular in her cycles; she even skipped a month if she was stressed. Yet somehow she knew that her missing a cycle this month had nothing to do with stress. She was going to have to take a test soon.  
  
A sharp dip in the road brought Bonnie's thoughts back to the situation at hand. She groaned again and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She could make it through this if she could continue to breathe slowly. Following her own advice, she took a few deep breaths and forced her mind off her queasy stomach and back to the reason she was even on this roller coaster ride.  
  
A computer composite of Kitt was sitting on the desktop monitor screen, showing her the different components that made up some of his systems. Kitt was not only her job; he was her pride and joy, her greatest accomplishment. She had headed up the team that had designed and built the Artificial Intelligence that ran the supercomputer of Michael's automobile- the Knight Industries Two Thousand. He was currently housed in a 1982 Trans-Am, and protected by a Molecular Bonded Shell, or MBS that allowed the car to Turbo Boost into the air, smash through walls, and protect it's driver from nothing short of an all out missile attack.  
  
Her job was to keep Kitt functioning so he could continue to protect his driver, Michael Knight. Michael Knight just happened to be the one thing Bonnie loved more than her job as Kitt's technician. She smiled to herself as she imagined him now, that mop of curly brown hair falling softly around his chiseled features. He had high cheekbones and a very full mouth with sensuous lips. His eyes were the blue of an ocean or the color of the sky; depending on his mood. She loved when he stared at her, she could stare at him all day long and be perfectly content.  
  
Right now, she had to get back to work. She needed to increase the scanner efficiency by at least 30% in order to penetrate a building surrounded by lead deposits and double shielded. Normally the calculations required wouldn't be that difficult for her, lately she could barely keep simple algebra straight.   
  
Michael would be arriving soon to get the upgrades she had yet to complete. She steeled herself once more and attempted to concentrate on the program she was running. With any real luck she would be ready when they arrived. It was only a matter of…  
  
She groaned again as the truck turned another corner and another…  
  
*****  
  
Michael stretched as much as he was able in the small cockpit of the car. Even though the car was built to house his 6'4" frame, at times it still felt cramped. Especially on long drives. He was really looking forward to reaching the semi and taking a hot shower. His body ached from his eyes down to his ankles from the recent fight he had gotten into. Thankfully nothing had gotten broken this time.   
  
"Kitt?" He called out to his computerized partner. He looked over the dash briefly and toyed with putting the car into Auto Cruise. There were more brightly lit buttons and digital gauges on his car than NASA currently sported on the Space Shuttle. It would be so simple to just let the car take over the driving.   
  
"Yes, Michael?" Kitt responded, the red bar-graph voice box keeping in sync with his words. The box was placed conveniently above the gull-wing steering wheel for easy viewing and conversation.   
  
"How much longer until we reach the semi?"  
  
"Less than two miles." Kitt replied. "It's just around the next series of curves." His voice reflected the fact that he was tired as well. The normally Boston tone became even more pronounced when he was in need of a recharge.  
  
"Good. I'm looking forward to a few hours of rest." Michael deftly maneuvered around the curves, only half concentrating on the road.   
  
"As am I, Michael." Kitt said.  
  
Sure enough the semi suddenly appeared as they rounded one of the bends. Michael pressed the button on the dash to lower the tailgate as he approached the back end of the massive trailer. It slowly dropped to the ground with a slight clang. He aimed the car for the middle of the ramps and drove up and inside.  
  
He stopped the car gently once he was in the parking area, the last 20 feet or so of the truck, and got out. The ramp was busy folding up behind him as he turned to see Bonnie. She was sitting at the computer staring at a mass of equations.   
  
She greeted him with a simple smile as he strode over to her and placed a kiss on top of her head in lieu of her lips. "Hi, Sweetheart."  
  
She mumbled a response as she turned back to her equations. It was obvious that she was deep in thought. He knew better than to disturb her at times like this.   
  
"I'm going to go hop in the shower for a few, seeing as you are hip-deep in numbers. I'll be out before you notice me gone." He placed another kiss near the first one then turned and retrieved a change of clothes and a towel from a storage compartment.   
  
Bonnie turned slightly and caught the sight of him disappearing into the bathroom. She had been reluctant to move too much as they were still on the very long and winding road. It was no longer a matter of 'if' she was going to lose her breakfast, but 'when' it was going to happen. Now she wished she hadn't fought so hard against it earlier. She sighed and gathered the last of her strength around her. If she was fast enough, they might be gone before it happened.  
  
"Kitt, could you pop the hood for me?" She had finally found the answer and figured out how to get the 30% more they needed. Now all she had to do was make the necessary adjustments. Which in this case was easier said than done.  
  
She heard the hood pop with an audible click. "Thanks." She got up out of her chair and walked over to Kitt, lifted the hood and checked on the scanner. The adjustments would only take a few minutes.   
  
She was well into making the changes when the truck lurched strongly to the left. Bonnie felt her stomach rise up to her throat, and hold there. The tools she had been using dropped from her hands with a small ping onto the floor. She took off for the bathroom, eager to get inside before she embarrassed herself all over the floor.  
  
She remembered at the last second that Michael was inside, probably still in the shower. Well, tough. She was going in whether he liked it or not.  
  
Michael was just finishing up his shower; the hot water had been just what his aching body had needed. He was rinsing the last of the suds out of his hair when he heard the bathroom door fly open. He peeked around the filmy curtain to see Bonnie racing for the toilet, one hand covering her mouth and a desperate expression on her face.  
  
With one fluid motion, Michael turned off the water and grabbed the towel he had hung on a hook near the shower. He quickly wrapped himself and stepped out. By the time his feet hit the floor; Bonnie had her face over the toilet bowl and was ridding her stomach of her breakfast.  
  
He came up behind her and used one hand to pull her hair away from her face. The other one was placed gently on her forehead to help hold her. She heaved a few more times; her body wracked with violent spasms.  
  
He braced her as much as he was able; his towel was in danger of slipping off and dropping to the floor. While he didn't mind standing in the nude, he was sure Bonnie would not be very amused. Finally it was over and she sagged against the cool porcelain while Michael reached over to flush it.  
  
"Thanks," she mumbled.  
  
He smiled down at her, the water still forming small rivers down his face as his hair dripped. "Anytime." He left the room for a second and came back with a washcloth which he dampened with warm water and handed to her.   
  
She wiped her face off and sighed. "Sorry." She indicated his still dripping body. "I didn't mean to interrupt."  
  
"I was just about done anyway," he responded while helping her up with one hand. The other was clutching the towel that was still threatening to fall off. "Are you alright?"  
  
She nodded carefully, noting that now that her stomach was empty, she felt pretty good. "I'm fine. All these turns on this road just threw my sense of balance off." She went to the sink and rinsed her mouth out. "You'd think these people would have at least one straight road in this county."  
  
"Remind me not to take you on any missions in Kitt," Michael teased. "If you think this is bad, you should see some of the acrobatics we do in the field."  
  
She shook her head softly. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."  
  
His face went from joking to concerned, his blue eyes shifting colors with the emotion behind them. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," she reassured him. "You better get dressed," she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I don't know how long I could resist a dripping wet sexy man."  
  
He started to reply, but she had already turned and left the room. He dried off quickly and dressed, hanging up his towel to dry before glancing at his reflection in the mirror. His face was in need of a shave, and his eyes looked tired. He decided to do the shave now, while Bonnie was still occupied with Kitt. A brief glance into the other room showed her back at work on Kitt. He lathered up, shaved and applied the aftershave that drove Bonnie crazy. He couldn't do much for his eyes, but he felt a lot better for being clean and freshly shaven.  
  
As he entered the main trailer, he winked at Bonnie, who rolled her eyes at him. She had a wrench in one hand and a handful of wires in the other. He passed by her and went to fix himself a cup of coffee from the kitchenette. Bonnie always had fresh coffee brewing, and he found the fragrant brew soothing. He brought his cup back to where she was working and sat nearby on a stool at a workstation.   
  
She was as efficient as ever, yet he noticed slowness in her movements as if she was fighting off fatigue. He made a mental note to ask her later how she had been sleeping. He couldn't wait for this mission to end so that he could finally relax in her arms at night. Of all the things on a mission that he hated most, being away from her had to top his list.  
  
She finished up just as Michael finished the coffee and he helped her put the tools away. She closed the hood carefully, as if slamming it could possibly hurt her patient. "Alright, Kitt. You should now be able to see through just about anything."  
  
She pointed towards a box she had prepared about 50 meters away. "This is a test. Scan the box and tell me what is inside."  
  
Michael sat his empty coffee mug down at the workstation. "Is that box lead?"  
  
"Yes, Michael. Double thickness as well as highly shielded." She observed Kitt's scanner track slowly as he scanned the box.  
  
"You have in the box: One romance novel, bookmarked on page 38; a coffee mug, 17 pennies and one of Devon's ties," Kitt replied smugly.  
  
"Very good, Kitt," Bonnie praised him.  
  
"I'm impressed, buddy." Michael said as he left his stool and strode over to the car. "Are you ready now?"  
  
Bonnie put out a hand to halt Michael when the truck turned and she lost her balance, falling directly into his arms.   
  
"Whoa," Michael exclaimed. He got his first good look at her while she was in his arms. She definitely looked tired, and quite pale.  
  
She caught him studying her and immediately pushed away. "Michael, Kitt still needs to recharge before you can leave. It will take a few hours." She bent down to hook up his power packs to the charger when a sudden cramp caused her to bite her lower lip.  
  
Michael bent down next to her. "Bonnie, you don't look very well. I think you are overdoing it again." He helped her stand. "Why don't you go lay down for about an hour or so?" His stern expression conveyed that he would not take no for an answer.  
  
"But Kitt needs,"  
  
"I can hook him up as well as you can." Michael stated. "Bed. Now."  
  
She opened her mouth to argue her point and had to stifle a huge yawn.  
  
Michael arched his brows at her, the thick brown hairs climbing way up into his curly bangs.   
  
"Okay, okay," she relented. "Just for an hour."  
  
"That's my girl," Michael said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go on. We'll find something to do while you rest. Right, Pal?"  
  
"Right, Michael." Kitt answered obediently.   
  
Bonnie was scarcely aware of much after that as she made her way to the double bed in the sleeping compartment. She could hear Michael talking to Kitt but could not make out the words. The last thing she remembered was that she forgot to set her bedside alarm for an hour from now. Then her head hit the pillow and she was fast asleep.  
  
*****  
  
When she next awoke, she was aware of a few things. The first was that the semi was no longer moving. The second was that it was unusually quiet. She sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes, and checked the clock at her bedside.   
  
5pm.  
  
She had gone to lie down around noon.   
  
He hadn't awoken her. Frustration welled up in her and she squashed it back down. She would yell at him later, that was for sure. In the meantime, she had to find out why the semi was stopped, and just where exactly they were.  
  
She left the sleeping compartment and headed towards the door that led to the cab. Either Charlie or Bradley would be driving today. Correction, should be driving. As she opened the door, she found the cab empty.  
  
Looking out the window, she found out why. They were home, back on the Knight Industries main labs. The semi was parked in its usual location, the extra-large hangar designed for its maintenance. Why no one had bothered to wake her, she didn't understand.  
  
She left the cab and went to gather a few things from the trailer. As she passed by her desk, she saw a note. She picked it up and began to read.  
  
Bonnie,  
  
Sorry I didn't stay around and I hope you are not too angry with me for not waking you. Devon called and we had to leave right away. I instructed everyone to let you get your rest; you looked like you could really use some.  
  
I'll be back real soon.   
  
Love,  
  
Michael  
  
Bonnie sighed and put the note back. Well that explains why she was left here all alone. She did need the rest, but she wished she had a chance to say goodbye to Michael before he left. Her greatest fear was that one day he would leave for a mission and not return. She always liked to send him on his way with a little bit of luck and love.  
  
She picked up her purse and headed out the door. The first thing she was going to do was to find out why she was constantly nauseated. She would have plenty of time to yell at Michael later.  
  
*****  
  
~ Three hours later ~  
  
Bonnie stared disbelievingly at the small home pregnancy test kit. She read the results off of the colored stick, glancing at the small plus sign that was currently being displayed.   
  
No.  
  
No.  
  
No.  
  
She blinked once, hoping that if she closed her eyes, the small window would display a negative sign instead.   
  
The plus sign remained.  
  
She was pregnant.   
  
She licked her lips and found her mouth suddenly dry. What in the world was she going to do now? Michael had told her once that he was an only child, and he had no plans on ever bringing children in a world that was so filled with violence and hate. He saw so much of both in his line of work; he had told her tales of the cruelty that was inflicted on innocents.  
  
She wondered how their contraception had failed, Michael had insisted in the use of condoms and she was on the pill, yet somehow the double protection had meant squat. Somewhere, there must have been a tiny hole, or the pills had not worked. She didn't have a clue and she was very sure Michael would not be thrilled with this piece of news.  
  
She glanced around her apartment, it was kind of small, but it would have to do. At least she had the foresight to get into a two bedroom place when the price had dropped. She could always set up the second bedroom into a nursery.   
  
Now all she had to do was tell Michael. A chill passed through her body that had nothing to do with her being cold. The thought of Michael's beautiful blue eyes hardening in anger and hurt filled her mind. He loved her, right? Then why did she feel like her world had just ended??  
  
~ To be continued ~  
  
Look for the next chapter up really soon! 


	2. Suspicion & Distrust

*****  
  
With a whoosh of displaced air, the black Trans Am lifted up into the sky, pressing the driver back into the plush seat; the acceleration and G-forces holding him there. The wheels spun rapidly as traction with the ground was lost. Michael felt a small thrill of satisfaction as he rose into the air, clearing the obstacle in front of him by mere inches.  
  
It was short-lived however, as the jolt of impact made his teeth clack together, almost catching his tongue between them as he landed. The car hadn't lost any speed from the maneuver; it slid only the tiniest bit as traction was restored.   
  
He could see the suspect car in front of him, fleeing towards the railroad tracks that crossed this section of town. The suspect had tried to lose Michael in busy traffic, then had darted past a red light; forcing Michael to Turbo Boost over the flatbed truck.   
  
Now the railroad tracks. Michael could hear the toot-toot warning whistle of the approaching train. The safety gates were lowered and flashing red.   
  
Michael winced, knowing what this whacko was about to try. "Kitt, how close is that train? Does he have a chance to make it?" The tracks were rapidly drawing closer.  
  
"At his rate of speed, he might just make it, but it's going to be very close." Kitt replied after scanning the speed of the vehicles involved.   
  
"What about us, Pal?"  
  
Kitt didn't hesitate on his next pronouncement. "We will not make it."  
  
"Turbo?" Michael asked, reaching for the button for the second time. The train was almost to the crossing. The engine loomed larger than death; the ever whine of the horn present.  
  
"Insufficient distance." Kitt replied, barely leaving Michael enough time to slam on the brakes.  
  
Michael stomped down hard and watched as the suspect crashed through the safety gate with only a mere second to spare. The train just missed his bumper and then it was over. Kitt slid to a stop as Michael cranked the gull wing hard to the right, forcing the car into a skid. When the dust finally settled, Michael could practically reach out and touch the passing train if he lowered his window.  
  
"Damn it!" He swore as he smacked the steering wheel hard. He could see the car speeding away as he glanced between the freight cars. "Can you track him on your sensors?"  
  
"Negative, Michael. There is too much interference." Kitt reported.  
  
"Damn." Michael swore again.  
  
"Michael, are you alright?" Kitt said as he scanned his partner. Michael seemed unusually tense today. "We've had people escape before, why should this one affect you so much?"  
  
Michael reached over and shifted Kitt into reverse to turn the car around. The rather unusually long train was still passing outside his window. "I don't like seeing any of them get away."  
  
Michael waited until the caboose was past the crossing before trying to trace where the suspect had fled to. Kitt could offer only the faintest suggestions, as the road led to a major highway which had no less than 12 exits that he could have chosen.  
  
He finally gave up and headed back to the city, he would have to follow other leads. The drive back was in silence.   
  
"Is something bothering you, Michael?" Kitt asked after 30 minutes of complete silence. "The last time you were this quiet was when you found out Bonnie was leaving the Foundation."  
  
Michael navigated around a small sedan before stopping at a red light. "I've just got a lot on my mind, Pal."  
  
"Would you like to talk about it?" Kitt offered.  
  
"I can't explain it in terms that you would understand, Buddy." The light changed to green and Michael moved the car forward with the traffic. "It's a general feeling of unease and it's not just because that car got away."  
  
"Is there anything I can do?" Kitt had worked with Michael long enough to know that when Michael brooded it was never a good sign for the immediate future. Kitt had taken lots of damage in the line of duty, usually after Michael's feelings of unease or restlessness. Good thing Bonnie was always there to repair him. He generally wasn't looking forward to another such adventure.  
  
"No, sorry, Buddy. I wish I could explain it. It's a feeling of…" he paused, searching for a word.  
  
Kitt ran through his thesaurus trying to find a word to help Michael's apprehension. "Discomfit?" he suggested.  
  
"Not really, more like wary. I can't really put my finger on it." He sighed. "I guess I'd feel better if I had something positive happening in my life right about now."  
  
"You have Bonnie." Kitt reminded him.  
  
Michael drove two more blocks before pulling over in front of a convenience store. "That's another thing. Have you noticed Bonnie acting strangely?"  
  
"Strange as in how?"  
  
"Strange as in moody, temperamental, excitable." Michael clarified steepling his fingers in front of his face.  
  
"No, Michael, I hadn't noticed."  
  
He shrugged. "It's probably just this mission. I'll be relieved when it's over." He stepped out of the car and smiled at a young woman standing just off to one side of the doors. She had two young children in a stroller.  
  
She was also very upset, and fumbling around in her purse looking for something while the children were crying. The little girl was about three or four, her brown hair in two pigtails, and her brother who appeared to be about two years old was yanking on his sister's hair.  
  
The woman looked up at him with sad eyes. Michael felt his heart go out to her. From the way all three were dressed it was obvious that she didn't have much money. The clothes were faded; the stroller was an older model, way older than the children inside.   
  
Her eyes met his and then she looked back to her purse, embarrassment filling her face.  
  
Michael was not the kind of person to ever leave a woman with children, especially one in distress. He stepped over to her. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you seem upset. Is there anything I can help you with?"  
  
She sniffed and tried to move her tangled strawberry-blond hair out of her face. "Um, no, not really. I'm just mad that I misplaced the $5 I was going to use to buy milk." She looked around the area. "I bet I dropped it a couple of blocks back when I had to take a few toys out of my purse." She sighed again and attempted to quiet the kids down, yet her frustration wasn't helping.  
  
"Well, I think I can help you with that." He reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. He opened it and thumbed through the bills he was carrying. He withdrew a $50 and handed it to her. "Will this help?"  
  
Her hazel-green eyes went wide as saucers. "No, I couldn't take that. Thanks, but, I can't."  
  
Michael put on his best hurt expression. It usually worked on Bonnie. "If you refuse, I'll be hurt. You wouldn't do that to a nice guy like me, now would you?" His blue eyes radiated sincerity and trust.  
  
She looked warily from him to the car he had just exited. It was obvious that he could easily afford to give her the money, yet her mother had taught her never to accept charity. However, her mother wasn't around right now and they really did need the milk.   
  
He could read the indecision in her eyes. "It's alright. My name is Michael Knight. I work for the Foundation for Law and Government. You can trust me." He was still holding the bill out in front of her. "Go on, take it. Consider it a gift from a fellow citizen."  
  
She reached her hand out carefully and he placed it in between her fingers. He could see a feeling of relief wash over her. She swallowed once. "I… I'm Jenna. Jenna Cooper. These are my kids, Aimee and Josh." She finally managed to get the kids quieted by picking Josh up and balancing him on one hip. "I can't thank you enough for your kindness."  
  
He smiled at the kids. "Think nothing of it, and I'm pleased to meet you all." A sudden inspiration struck him. "Why don't I take you all out for lunch? We can stop on the way back and get the milk then?"  
  
Her expression went from happiness to guarded suspicion. "I don't know." She eyed the expensive black car again. "I'd better not; I've heard stories about men swooping out of nowhere to kidnap young vulnerable women."  
  
He couldn't blame here for being careful. "Okay. If you change your mind, I'll be in the store for the next 5 minutes or so. I promise you I wouldn't hurt you or your children." He smiled his dazzling smile. "You think about it."  
  
He left her there for a moment, and walked into the store. He selected a bottle of soda, and a bag of chips from one of the shelves. He brought his comlink up and spoke into it. "Kitt, see the young woman outside the doors? Her name is Jenna Cooper. See what you can find on her."  
  
"Right away, Michael."   
  
Michael pretended to peruse the shelves. It only took a few seconds before Kitt beeped the link. "Michael, I have the information."  
  
"What did you find out?" He asked in a soft tone all too aware of the fact the clerk was watching him over a magazine.   
  
"Jenna Cooper, age 24, lives in the Golden Skies Mobile Home Park which is right up the road. She's currently unmarried and lives alone with her two kids, Aimee age 4 and Josh age 2. Her current occupation is cashier for the local grocer. Shall I go on?" Kitt reported.  
  
"No, Buddy, that's fine. Thanks." Michael took his purchases up to the register and paid for them. The cashier kept giving him guarded looks but didn't mention anything about the fact he had seen Michael talking into a watch.  
  
He stepped outside the doors and found Jenna still standing there, still undecided. "Well, did you decide?" He asked her, hoping she would accept. She looked like she needed a good meal and a day where she didn't have to worry about the kids for a few hours. "I'm leaving now to get me some lunch. I'd much rather have company than eat alone."   
  
Oh this was such a hard decision for her! She looked to her kids and back up to Michael. "Okay, but under one condition."  
  
"Sure," Michael agreed. "What would that be?"  
  
"I pick the restaurant." She smiled at him.   
  
Michael agreed and they loaded up the kids and the stroller. In light of the fact that he had no carseats for the children, he ordered Kitt to unlock the seatbelts in the back. Kitt did and the children were safely buckled up. The stroller was placed in the trunk.   
  
Jenna gasped at the dash as she finally got in the wondrous black car. "Wow, I've heard of high-tech but this takes the cake. Functional yet beautiful."  
  
"Why thank you." Kitt replied.  
  
"And it talks!" Jenna stated with surprise.  
  
Michael had to laugh. He would bet his whole salary that Jenna never had a chance to enjoy something this sophisticated. "Yes, it talks. Kitt, this is Jenna. Jenna, this is my car, Kitt."   
  
"I'm pleased to meet you, Jenna. You have adorable children." Kitt said with charm.  
  
"Nice to meet you too, Kitt." Jenna ran one hand over the dash. "Man I wish Brandon could see me in this car. He'd be green with envy."  
  
"Brandon?" Michael asked, quirking an eyebrow while he started the car. "Where to for that lunch?"  
  
"Brandon is my ex-boyfriend. He dumped me and the kids just recently for this young chick he met at a bar. We're better off without him." She explained but Michael could see talking about him hurt her. "As for lunch, go down the road, three traffic lights, turn left, then left again on Cherry Street. It will be on the right; the name of the place is Stacie's Buffet. They have some of the best food around."  
  
True to the words, the food was delicious, the company was fabulous and Michael got a chance to relax. By the time the lunch was over, Jenna seemed happier and was even willing to let Michael help her with the children. Michael surprised her yet again today by taking her shopping both for food and new clothes for her and the kids. By the time he took her home, Kitt's trunk was fully loaded with goodies.  
  
They parted on good terms, with Michael promising to call her again before the week was over, and Jenna on cloud 9 that such a bad day could have a happy ending. Even the kids took to him like a charm; Josh had been reluctant to see Michael go. Aimee had wanted Michael to stay as well, showing big puppy dog eyes when he announced it was time to go.   
  
Michael was now driving to the semi; he had to rendezvous for Kitt's recharge. He was almost there when a call came thorough. "Michael, Bonnie's calling."  
  
"Patch her thorough, Kitt."   
  
Her worried face appeared onscreen. "Michael, where the hell have you been? You were supposed to meet me hours ago!"  
  
Michael looked confused for a minute, then he remembered. He had promised to pick Bonnie up and they were supposed to have gone to meet with one of the suspect's contacts. In his meeting of Jenna, he had completely forgotten. "I'm sorry, Bonnie, I forgot. You see, Jenna needed milk, and the kids were just about outgrowing their shoes, so I…"  
  
Her expression hardened. "Jenna? Kids? Michael Knight this was business! Did you even follow Martinez like you were supposed to?" She crossed her arms over her chest.   
  
"Yeah we followed him and were almost part of the noontime express." Michael quipped, trying to calm her down. "I'm sorry I missed the meeting, it wasn't on purpose."  
  
"Right, Michael." Bonnie said her tone hurt and angry. "Where are you now?"  
  
"I'm on my way to the semi now." He replied keeping his tone level. "I'll be there in less than 15 minutes."  
  
"Try not to get sidetracked this time." She clicked the link closed with no further comments.  
  
Michael sighed and stepped on the gas. This wasn't going to be easy to explain no matter how you looked at it. He was in hot water and he knew it.  
  
*****  
  
Bonnie sat staring at the view screen where Michael's picture had just been. Jenna? Kids? What had he been up to now? How could he forget about her now? Did he suspect that she was hiding news from him?   
  
She got up and began pacing the length of the trailer. No, he couldn't know. She had told no one about the results from that test, and she was as yet uncertain what she was going to do.   
  
Abortion was out of the question for her, in her upbringing it was frowned upon very strongly. Adoption was always a choice, but could she really do that? Could she give up a baby?  
  
The last option she had was to keep the baby and raise it herself. Again, not the best option, due to her line of work. Could she balance a career and take care of an infant at the same time?  
  
She sighed and tried to clear her mind. Now was not the time to decide. Now was the time for her to be getting things ready for when Kitt returned. He would need a recharge, and possibly a good wash and wax.   
  
She was in the process of preparing a bucket of sudsy water when the comm beeped for her attention. She placed it down by the back bay of the semi and went to answer the call.   
  
The monitor came up with Devon's face. "Hi, Bonnie." He greeted her cheerfully.   
  
"Hi, Devon." Her voice was not as cheery, nor did she think she could project a false cheeriness right now.  
  
His face fell. "I'm taking it from the expression you are wearing that the meeting did not go very well."  
  
She sighed. "It didn't go at all. Michael never showed to pick me up."  
  
"What?" Devon voiced his surprise. "Does he realize just how important it was? We spent weeks setting it up."  
  
Bonnie had to shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine, Devon. I just got off the comm with him a few minutes ago. He's on his way here. Evidently he got sidetracked."  
  
"Well he better have a good excuse, as I don't think we are going to get another chance at this one." Devon lamented. "I just hope this didn't cost us the whole case."  
  
"Me either."  
  
"Have him call me when he gets in." Devon said as he signed off.  
  
Bonnie sighed again as she turned off the monitor. She walked to the back of the semi and stepped down the ramp. It was parked off to the side of the road, near a small park.   
  
The sun was just setting and she walked over to a park bench and perched upon the back of it, resting one hand on her knees the other one pushed back her long hair.   
  
Her life was changing now. Just as the sun set and the day started, so was her life. The chapter of her being single and carefree was coming to a close. She was so absorbed in her thoughts as the sun crept closer towards the horizon that she didn't hear Kitt approach the semi and drive up the ramps.   
  
Nor did she hear Michael walking his way across the short grass, his footsteps almost as quiet as Kitt's Silent Mode. One hand was resting across her stomach, her mind eight months ahead of her. How was she going to tell him?  
  
"What's the worst that can happen?" she asked herself, not knowing Michael was right behind her. "He loves me, right?"  
  
"You bet I do." His voice was right beside her ear.  
  
Startled, Bonnie yelped and jumped up off the bench, one hand clutched to her rapidly beating heart. "Michael!"   
  
"In the flesh." He held out his arms for a welcome-home hug.  
  
Instead of the hug he was expecting he got a slap on the arm. "Don't ever scare me like that again!" She barked at him. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Her face was drawn up in anger.   
  
"Sorry, Bon." He said as he reached for her. "I didn't really mean to scare you. You looked so lost in thought that I didn't want to disturb you."  
  
She pushed past him and headed for the semi. "So scare me instead. I'd love to know where you get your logic from."   
  
He chased after her. Her long legs had her up to the ramps in a few brisk strides. "Bonnie? Is something bothering you? You don't need to bite my head off," he questioned her as he followed her up the ramps.  
  
"No, no, I'm fine." She lied as she came around the spot where Kitt was parked. "Devon wants you to call him. He's not thrilled that you missed the meeting." She reached for the bucket of sudsy water and the sponge.   
  
"Yeah, I figured he wouldn't be pleased. I really did get sidetracked."  
  
Bonnie snorted. "Yeah, Jenna. I heard." She dunked the sponge into the water and wrung it out a few times before dropping it with a sploosh on Kitt's hood.   
  
"Hey, hey, it's not what you are thinking," he said as he tried to reach for her arm.   
  
She pulled away from him. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" Her other hand began to rub vigorously on the MBS shell. "You a mind reader now?"  
  
He stepped back from her and held his hands up. "Truce, Bon. I just happened to run across her while I was buying a drink."  
  
She rubbed harder at an imaginary spot of grime. The sponge was drying out so she dunked in back into the bucket, splashing water onto the floor. "So of course, you had to ask her out for lunch." She flung her arms wide and sudsy water went flying through the air, narrowly missing Michael. "Never mind the fact that we had an important meeting scheduled. Oh no, the pretty girl comes first." She slapped the sponge back onto the hood.   
  
"Hey now, she needed help!" Michael tried to defend himself against her attacks.   
  
Bonnie stopped scrubbing and turned to Michael, her dark eyes flashing angrily. "Someone ought to teach you not to pick up strays."  
  
As she turned back to her impromptu wash job, Michael stepped up behind her and grabbed her arms. He turned her around even as she struggled against him. "I don't know why you are acting like this," he told her as his own face hardened. "All I did was buy her and her kids some lunch and a few desperately needed items. She was very young and got pregnant too early in life. She was in need of a caring person to listen. Nothing more." He released his hold on her. "I will not have you bad mouthing her when you've never even met her."  
  
"You can't rescue every damsel in distress, Michael." Bonnie said angrily. How she wanted to tell him right now. Just blurt it out and be done with it. "We had a job to do." She gave up on the sponge and just dumped the bucket of water over Kitt's hood. It splashed everywhere, including the windshield.   
  
Kitt activated the wipers, cleaning the window. "Bonnie, if I may interrupt…"  
  
"No, you may not." She stated clearly. "Stay out of this, Kitt."  
  
"Don't yell at him."   
  
"I'll yell at him if I want to." Bonnie shouted now, close to tears. How did this get so out of control? "You have no say in what I do."  
  
"That's enough, Bonnie." Michael warned. "I think you need to take a few to calm down and cool off before you say something you will regret."  
  
"I think you are right. Excuse me." She brushed past him in a huff and headed back out of the trailer and into the park where Michael had first found her.  
  
When she was gone, Michael whistled. "What do you make of that, buddy?"  
  
"Obviously she is distressed about something, and I don't think it was just you missing the meeting." Kitt replied. "Her vitals were spiking all over the place."  
  
"Yeah, I could feel the tension in the room myself, pal." He picked up the now forgotten sponge. "Let's give her some time to cool down. In the meantime, how about I give you the remainder of your bath?"  
  
"Shouldn't you call Devon first?"  
  
Michael refilled the bucket and knelt down next to Kitt's tire. "Nah. After Hurricane Bonnie I don't think I could handle another storm right now."  
  
He began washing the fender and thinking. How could helping someone make Bonnie so mad? What was it about women that he just couldn't get a grasp on?  
  
*****  
  
Bonnie hugged her knees to her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had returned to the bench and was trying to sort out her feelings. She turned to look over her shoulder at the semi, half-expecting to see Michael coming out after her.  
  
She both wanted to see him put forth the effort and at the same time, didn't want to see him at all right now. If he did show, she wasn't sure if she would hug him or slap him. She felt so confused.  
  
She wiped the tears off her cheeks with one sleeve of her jumpsuit and realized for the first time that it was wet. She must have gotten in the way of the water she had dumped on Kitt.  
  
She closed her eyes and emptied her mind. It wouldn't help her much to stay angry like this. A chilly night breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees and she let it carry her worries away. She shivered slightly in the damp jumpsuit, yet she wasn't ready to return yet. She still had too much frustration in her. How could she get so jealous over a simple lunch date? Michael took women out all the time on missions, it was part of his job; yet for some reason this one date had her nearly in hysterics.  
  
She let her breath out slowly, thinking of her unborn child. Was Michael capable of loving a baby that would undoubtedly have features from a past he was trying really hard to keep behind him?  
  
She laid her head down on her arms while she thought. She was so tired as well; it had been a trying and exhausting day for her.  
  
Half an hour later, Michael ventured out of the semi to go look for her, figuring that if by now she hadn't calmed down, she wasn't going to. He found her fast asleep on the bench, one hand under her head, the other one wrapped protectively around her body.  
  
She barely fit on the slender wooden surface, yet she had managed to fall into a deep sleep that had her snoring lightly. He knelt down next to the bench and placed one hand on her arm. He frowned when he encountered the dampness of he fabric and felt a light shiver race over her otherwise still form.  
  
Standing again, he removed his leather jacket and draped it over her body. She relaxed at the warmth now covering her. Michael reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Bonnie?" he whispered gently to her.  
  
Her eyelids fluttered momentarily but she did not waken. He tried again. "Bonnie? Come on in where it is warm."  
  
In response, she tried to roll over but was hampered by the back of the bench. She mumbled something but then fell back asleep.  
  
Michael bent over and easily scooped her up into his arms. He waited a moment to see if this would wake her, and set her off on another tangent. When all she did was adjust herself and rest her head on his shoulder and continue to snore, he walked back to the semi carrying her.   
  
He placed her on the bed in the sleeping compartment, and considered changing her out of her damp clothes, but decided not to push his luck. If she woke while he was undressing her, goodness knows what would run through her mind about what he would be trying to do. He left his jacket draped over her and pulled the covers up to her neck, letting her continue to sleep.  
  
He caressed her face gently with one hand, pausing only to kiss her forehead once. "I love you, Bonnie. Goodnight, Angel. We can talk tomorrow."  
  
One he was sure she was settled down for the night, he stepped quietly out of the room and back to the main compartment. Now that the first storm had passed, he prepared himself to make the call to Devon and weather the second one. He just hoped he didn't make too much of a mess of the case.   
  
****** 


	3. Checkups & Secrets

Third Month   
  
Checkups and Secrets  
  
"Okay, Ms. Barstow. You are looking quite well today." The young doctor told her while she sat nearly naked in a paper examination gown on his examining room table in the OB/GYN office.  
  
"Thank you, Dr. Hunter." Bonnie smiled shyly. "Is there anything else I should be doing?"  
  
He picked up her chart and flipped to a page to make a note. At 42, his practice was well established. He saw Bonnie twice every year for her regular checkups. At her last one she had made no mention of trying to get pregnant. He was therefore surprised to find her pregnant and requesting his services. He knew she was still unmarried and she had already told him that she was very nervous about this baby. "Just continue to eat properly, get some rest when you can, and of course do some exercise. Nothing strenuous, mind you, but some extra walking is always good."  
  
He put down her chart and picked up a prescription pad. With a practiced hand he scrawled something that only a pharmacist would be able to decipher. He tore the top sheet off the pad and handed it to her. "This is for pre-natal vitamins. Take one every morning with your breakfast."   
  
She took the paper and glanced at it.   
  
"Any other questions?" He was asking her.  
  
Bonnie looked down at her still flat stomach. Well, almost still flat. She could see the tiniest hint of a bulge now. Or was that her imagination? She looked back up at the doctor's dark eyes. His equally dark hair was cut and layered in a style that flattered his squarish face. She found his middle-eastern accent fascinating. If she didn't have Michael, then she sometimes liked to imagine that he would have been her next choice. He was as dedicated to his job as she was to hers.   
  
"Well," she said after looking down at the paper to get her mind back on track. "How much weight should I gain?"  
  
"Oh, I'd guess about 90 or so pounds." He told her with a serious tone. Her head shot up in astonishment and fear crossed her eyes before she caught on that he was pulling her leg. He smiled at her, to relax her. "Really you should only gain about 30 or so pounds, with most of it being baby and water. Don't worry, your body will handle this perfectly."  
  
She relaxed at his explanation. Thirty pounds she could deal with. "What about the nausea?"  
  
"Continue to eat small meals, always have something nearby for when you awake. It will strike harder on an empty stomach than one with, let's say some crackers in it. The good news is that morning sickness doesn't really last much more than the first trimester. You're almost through that now." He patted her on the arm and smiled again. "You've done very well, Ms. Barstow."  
  
She blushed and tried to act like she knew what she was doing. "Good. That's the part I've been hating the most."  
  
"If there are no further questions?" He paused and she shook her head. "Then on your way out, I want you to make an appointment for three weeks from today. You will be seeing me on a more regular basis now." He winked at her. "Don't hesitate to call the office if you have any concerns, or any questions that we did not cover today."  
  
"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Hunter." She tried to cover her blush at his last statement.   
  
He smiled one final time then nodded to her and left. She dressed quickly, disposing of the paper gown in the trash, and fixing up her hair before leaving the room. She made her next appointment with the receptionist and paid her co-pay for the visit. As she left the office, she made mental notes of some items she was going to get at the drugstore. She climbed into her car and headed out to fill the prescription. She had to get it done quickly before her presence at the Foundation was missed.  
  
She pulled into the parking lot of the drugstore. As she got out of her car, she grabbed her purse, then locked the door with a push of the button and closed the door.  
  
It didn't take long for her to get the prescription filled, as the place wasn't very busy and it was only moments before he was handing her a huge translucent-orange bottle neatly labeled with her name. Curious, she opened it. The pearly vitamins inside were huge! She had never seen pills this large before. How did he expect her to swallow these horse pills?  
  
She shook her head. That was something she would have to figure out later. She paid for the pills, then returned to her car. When she reached into her purse for her keys, she was puzzled as to why she could not locate them.   
  
She sifted through the contents briefly before glancing up and into the window of her car. Sure enough, there they were, dangling from the ignition.   
  
Oh great. She thudded her head on the window. Now would be an ideal time for her car to have Kitt's ability to auto-unlock the door. Seeing as that wasn't a viable option at this time, she sighed.   
  
At least she had AAA. She reached for her cell phone and membership card. After dialing and reaching the automated service, she waited through the first set of choices and four minutes of pressing in her membership number and then she reached the second set of menus. After wading through the myriad of choices, she began to mentally curse the people who invented telephone menus. Would she ever reach a service specialist? She stabbed her finger over the next option on the menu, and began to feel increasingly agitated as she was presented with yet another list of choices.   
  
"For flat tires, press one," the automated voice intoned into her ear. "For gas refills press two, for towing within 10 miles press three, for towing outside of 10 miles, press four…" Bonnie was about to press any old number as she was getting tired of choices when she heard, "For lockouts, press eight… for all other options, press nine."  
  
She pressed 8 and hoped that this time she would be connected to a live person. There was a brief pause after her choice and she was rewarded with a young woman asking her the location of the vehicle.   
  
"Main Street, and Conchetto Boulevard, in the parking lot of Harrison's Drug store." Bonnie advised.  
  
"Thank you," the woman said politely, "We can have a truck out to you in about 90 minutes."  
  
"What!?" Bonnie nearly shouted into the phone. She was hot, tired, and very frustrated. "Can't you get someone out here sooner?"  
  
"I'm sorry but all of our servicemen are out on calls. The shortest time would be at least an hour."  
  
"Never mind." Bonnie said, then hung up the phone. If she had access to her tools in the semi, she would have been able to get into her car in minutes. A brief glance at the contents of her purse showed her nothing of any real use.   
  
She was going to have to call either Devon, or Michael. She sweeped her gaze across the mini strip of stores. None of them sold anything she could use. Besides Harrison's Drugs, there was a small restaurant, a grocery store and a pet shop.  
  
Sighing heavily she put in the call to Devon. She hoped that she could get him to send out one of the techs with her tools. Her luck must have been bad today, because when he answered and heard of her problem, he advised her that Michael was in the area and he could be here in minutes.   
  
Lovely. Here she was holding a bag of prenatal vitamins and Michael was coming to her rescue. The bottle was way too big to fit into her purse. Thinking fast she ran back into the drugstore and picked up a few more items, including a package of tampons. She paid for her purchases, then waited as the girl bagged the few items. Once she was handed the bag, she stuffed the vitamins into the bottom.  
  
She came out to find Michael leaning against the side of her car. He smiled warmly at her. "There you are. I thought you went and ran off on me."  
  
"I just forgot something and went back for it. I didn't think you would be here this fast." She clutched her bag tightly, and nodded towards the car. "I feel so silly."  
  
"Nah. Don't. It happens to most people at least once in their life." He nodded towards where Kitt was sitting, idling quietly. "Kitt, please unlock this wonderful lady's car door, will ya pal?" He held the comlink down by the lock.   
  
"Right away, Michael." Kitt answered and his scanner swished twice. Two seconds later, the door was unlocked. Michael reached over and opened it for her. "Voila."  
  
"Thank you, Michael." She smiled at him, relieved to be able to get out of here without having to resort to measures such as a coat-hanger in the window, or heaven forbid – break a window. However, Bonnie's bad luck continued to grow for as she approached the car to get in, the plastic bag she was carrying caught on a branch of a nearby bush and tore.  
  
All the items she had bought tumbled out and onto the pavement, with the tampons landing right at Michael's feet, and the vitamins rolling across the ground, stopping against Kitt's left front tire.  
  
Bonnie blushed a deep red, then dove for the items, letting Michael grab the few in front of him while she made a beeline for the vitamins and tried not to make a big deal out of it.  
  
She tossed the items on the seat and took the tampons from Michael who was now blushing slightly himself.   
  
"Ummm, thanks." She placed the box in front of the vitamins and hoped that he hadn't had a chance to get a good look at them. She knew that Kitt had registered the label and made a mental log to talk to him the moment he returned back to the Foundation. She hoped like heck that it wouldn't come up in casual conversation between the driver and the car.  
  
She climbed into her car. "Thanks again, Michael for coming to my 'rescue.' I'll see you later back at the Foundation." She started the car and pulled away.  
  
"Anytime," Michael told her and watched her drive off. He slid into the front seat of Kitt with a definite frown on his face. "Hey buddy."  
  
"Yes, Michael?"  
  
"I've got the distinct feeling that Bonnie is trying to keep something from me. Do you concur?" He tapped the gull-wing with one finger.   
  
"I don't understand, Michael."  
  
Michael started the car and pulled out of the lot, following the route Bonnie had taken. "Well, Kitt, look at it this way. Bonnie is jumpy around me, is always moody and grumpy. I ask her questions, simple ones mind you and sometimes she nearly bites my head off. She avoids any questions about her health even though I know she isn't completely over that last bout with the flu." He ran one hand through his hair as he maneuvered Kitt down the road. "Kitt, I'm worried about her. I caught her throwing up again two days ago. She's not behaving like the Bonnie I know." He sighed lightly. "If I didn't know that she loved me, I would begin to wonder if she was seeing someone else and keeping it from me."  
  
Kitt hesitated on what to say next. Human relationships were not his strong point, although he was getting plenty of time to learn about them with Michael. "Really, Michael?" He let his voice convey doubt. "When has she had the time to do anything?"  
  
Michael worked that response over in his mind as he steered onto the winding drive that led to the Foundation's main grounds. He nodded to the gate watchman and pulled forward. "That's why her behavior bugs me." He parked Kitt behind Bonnie's car. "Kitt, she seemed very jumpy about the contents that spilled out of her bag. Did you get a good look at them?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Michael waited. Kitt remained silent. Finally he asked impatiently, "Well?"  
  
"Wouldn't you consider this to be an invasion of Bonnie's privacy?" Kitt retorted, not completely certain why he was reluctant to reveal what he had seen.   
  
"No, not really. Not if she has nothing to hide."  
  
"Why not just ask her?" Kitt countered.  
  
"The list, Kitt. What did she buy?" Michael insisted.  
  
"Very well, Michael. But if she asks you, you didn't hear it from me."   
  
"Stop stalling, Kitt." Michael said as he watched the doors of the mansion for Bonnie. Why did it all of a sudden seem as if he was going to hear something forbidden? Like a little child with his hand stuck in the cookie jar, he waited for his mother to catch him.  
  
"There was a bottle of Tylenol, two bottles of nail polish, a package of tampons, a bottle of vitamins, a package of gum and a tube of toothpaste." Kitt recited the list of items.  
  
Michael frowned at the dash. "Anything else?"  
  
"No, Michael."  
  
"Then why was she so jumpy? Was there anything unusual about any of those items?" He again watched the doors and actually hoped that this time Bonnie would come out.   
  
"Nothing suspicious, Michael, but I do have to wonder about the vitamins. I'm concluding that was why she went there in the first place, as those were prescribed for her." He replied now honestly confused as he examined the data from what he had seen.  
  
"What type of prescription?" Maybe this would be the clue he needed to unravel the mystery that was Bonnie. If she was feeling poorly enough to see a doctor and get vitamins, maybe there was something he could do to help her get well.  
  
"They are not her usual type. Michael those vitamins are…" Kitt broke off as the mansion door opened and one of the maids came running out with a hand over her heart. "Mister Knight!" she waved frantically and hollered for him with her loudest voice.  
  
Michael jumped out of Kitt, the mystery of the vitamins still unsolved and bounded up the few steps to the maid. "What is it, Jeanette?"  
  
"It's Miss Barstow," the young maid panted, obviously having run very fast from somewhere. "She's fainted."  
  
Michael stepped around the frantic young woman, calling back over his shoulder. "Where is she?"  
  
"The parlor." Jeanette called back.  
  
Michael entered the mansion at a run, skidding to a stop in front of the entrance to the parlor. Bonnie had passed out onto the floor.  
  
He dropped to her side and automatically felt for a pulse. It was strong and steady. He breathed a sigh of relief. Her breathing was strong as well. He lifted her up and placed her onto the couch, as she was beginning to stir.  
  
"Bonnie? Sweetheart, wake up." Michael coached. "Open those gorgeous brown eyes for me." He turned when he heard footsteps behind him and found Jeanette waiting at the entranceway. "Can you get me a cool cloth?"  
  
Jeanette nodded and left, returning a few moments later to Michael who was still trying to rouse Bonnie. She handed him a cool damp cloth.  
  
He placed it on Bonnie's head. At the cold touch to her skin, Bonnie was jarred awake and was surprised to find herself almost in Michael's arms as he continued to try to wake her. "W-what happened?" Her voice was weak and she felt tired. Her head was pounding and all she wanted to do was fall back into the blackness that had briefly captured her.  
  
His hand traced the contours of her face while he soothed her with comforting words. "Well, from what I've been told, you fainted." His blue eyes watched her carefully.  
  
She could tell he was concerned. "That's odd. I don't usually 'faint' for any reason. I was just coming in the room when it seemed to start to spin." She tried to sit up but the room swam before her eyes and she had to swallow bile.  
  
"No. Don't." Michael cautioned, seeing a tinge of green cross her face. "Lay there for a bit longer." He turned to where Jeanette was watching anxiously. "Go find Devon for me."  
  
"No!" Bonnie yelped which earned her a very strange look from Michael. "I'm fine. There is no need to alert Devon." Her eyes passed from Michael to Jeanette. "You can go back to whatever you were doing. I'm fine. Thank you for your help."  
  
Jeanette stood there, unsure as to whom to listen to. Michael nodded to her. "It's okay. If I need Devon, I'll find him." He flashed her as small smile. "Thank you."  
  
She nodded back. "You're welcome. Feel better soon, Miss Barstow." Then she left the room.  
  
Bonnie was now trying to sit again and this time Michael let her. "Angel, I know something is wrong. Please tell me."  
  
She felt her stomach flip-flop at those words. Did Kitt tell him already what he had seen? Panic gripped her and she felt her blood run cold. She couldn't tell him, not now, not like this! "Uh…" she hedged while he stared at her with unmasked concern. She needed have bothered as her stomach then decided for her that she wasn't going to get to say a word. It lurched violently and she had to clamp one hand across her mouth.  
  
She pushed off the couch so fast that she actually knocked Michael down in her haste to find a bathroom. Luckily for her there was one just up the hall and she ran for it then slammed the door behind her.  
  
Michael had landed on his rump on the floor and looked after her, astonished. "Kitt?" he called for his partner on the comlink.   
  
"Yes, Michael?" came the ever prompt response.  
  
Michael stood and followed Bonnie's path. "What were you going to tell me about those vitamins of Bonnie's?" He found the bathroom she had entered and stood outside the closed door.  
  
Kitt's voice came over the comlink. "Just that they have obviously been prescribed in error."  
  
"Prescribed in error?" he parroted back to the car. He paced briefly outside the door, giving Bonnie a bit of privacy. He could hear the faint sound of retching on the other side.   
  
"Yes, Michael. By a Doctor Jeremy Hunter."  
  
The mystery deepened for Michael and caused him to halt in his tracks. "Kitt, isn't her primary physician Dr. Richard Fredricks?"  
  
"Yes, Michael but Dr. Hunter is also Bonnie's doctor." Kitt replied.  
  
"How is that possible?" Michael asked getting a creepy feeling in the pit of his stomach. The only way for Bonnie to have two doctors was if one was her…  
  
"Dr. Hunter is a gynecologist."  
  
Michael felt his stomach drop a he began to put the pieces of this puzzle together. He stared in shock at the door. "Kitt," he asked slowly and tasting fear in his mouth at the almost expected reply. "What type of vitamins did Dr. Hunter prescribe?"  
  
The door opened then and Bonnie stepped out, looking pale and shaky just as the reply emanated from the comlink. "Pre-natal, Michael."  
  
Dark blue eyes crept up to meet terrified brown. Bonnie had a deer in the headlights look about her. She stood frozen to the spot, unable to say or do anything after Kitt's announcement. It seemed as if the words were still hanging in the air in front of them.   
  
Michael didn't break contact while he raised his arm to his mouth. "Thanks, Kitt." His voice was barely more than a whisper. He lowered his arm slowly.   
  
A thousand thoughts raced through his mind while he struggled to keep his expression blank. He wished she would say something, anything to break the growing silence between them.  
  
It seemed as if hours passed by while they stood there. Bonnie could see the struggle on his face but nothing she saw told her that he would be happy if she was pregnant. She saw confusion mix with fear and shock. She finally broke the silence with a sigh. She wasn't going to tell him, not yet. She did the only other thing she could think of. She lied. "It's not what you are thinking."  
  
Of all the things she could have said, this one startled him. "Oh? Enlighten me then."  
  
"I really don't believe that it is any business of yours. It's a personal health matter that I would really prefer not to discuss." She made to move past him but he stepped in front of her path.   
  
"Oh really?" She could tell that he wasn't buying it.  
  
"Yes, Michael. I've been working too hard and not eating very well. Combined with my recent association with the flu, the doctor felt that the extra minerals would help my body recover a bit faster than conventional vitamins." She elaborated the lie and embellished it a bit.   
  
He still looked doubtful. "Are you sure that's all it is?" He asked her in complete sincerity. "If you have something you need to tell me…" he left the question hanging at the end of it.   
  
She nodded as she finally broke the trance he had woven between them. It was hard enough to have to lie to him. She couldn't continue to do so and keep looking in his eyes. She glanced down at the floor. She still hadn't come completely to terms with it herself, how could she expect him to? "Please, Michael," she pleaded. "Just let it drop." She brought her gaze back up, her eyes filled with unshed tears, willing him to accept her explanation.  
  
He sighed and held out his arms. "Consider it dropped."   
  
She stepped into his embrace and rested her head upon his chest, listening to his heart beat beneath his shirt. Her arms wrapped around him and she pulled him close. She almost relented and took back the lie at that point, yet she couldn't find the words to do so.  
  
He rested his chin at the top of her head, while rubbing her back with one hand. "I'm here if you decide you need to talk."  
  
He could feel her nod. He hugged her again then released her. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I think I should go lay down for a while," she answered him honestly.   
  
"Anything I can do for you?" He was reluctant to let her go just yet. He still had his doubts about her answers, but they did make sense, from a certain point of view, and he did promise her that he would drop the subject.  
  
She shook her head. "Just make sure the techs remember to turn off the recharge unit tonight. I'm not sure when I'm going to get up." She reached out to take one of Michael's hands in her own. He still didn't look very comfortable and she wanted to erase that last lingering strand of doubt from his mind. "I'm fine, Michael." She stated then reached up to kiss him soundly.   
  
He could still taste the mouthwash she had just used as her tongue twined with his, the fresh minty taste both enticing and cool. She broke the kiss and smiled up at him. "I love you, Michael," she whispered breathlessly.  
  
"I love you too, Bon." He replied, equally breathless.  
  
She released his hand and left the room, heading up the main staircase to her suite in the mansion. For now, she knew she had just squeaked out of that mess. She just hoped that she didn't just make things worse. For when Michael found out that she had deceived him on purpose, the resulting explosion might actually be worse than facing him now might have been.  
  



	4. Conflicts & Promises

Fourth Month  
  
Conflicts and Promises  
  
Time. It was something that never seemed to be a luxury for her. Deadlines were always looming over her head . She constantly worked against a clock. It was part of her duty, part of her job, to be able to face and meet those deadlines when it was necessary.   
  
Now she was under a new type of deadline, one that she tried very little to think of, yet it was constantly on her mind no matter what she was doing.   
  
Her baby.  
  
She was always dwelling on what she needed to do, what the next few months had in store, and what she still had to get that she often lost track of what she was supposed to be doing in the present.  
  
As was the case today. She was under Kitt's hood, making adjustments to the turbine engine, when her mind started wandering towards what color to paint the baby's room. The wrench she was using slipped and she banged her knuckles hard against the metal casing.  
  
"Ow!" she exclaimed as she pulled her greasy hand out from the depths of the darkened compartment.   
  
"Bonnie, are you okay?" Kitt asked as he scanned her injured hand. "That's the third time today that you have dropped something inside my turbine."  
  
Bonnie reached for a nearby rag and wiped the grease off her sore knuckles and tried to see through all the grime if she had actually peeled back any skin this time. Satisfied that no blood was about to drip out, she sighed and went to retrieve the fallen tool. "Sorry, Kitt. I can't seem to concentrate today."  
  
"Perhaps you should take a break." He suggested helpfully. "You haven't had one in three hours."  
  
"Then I guess I'm due for one." She agreed as she finally fished the wrench out from where it had fallen. She wiped it down and placed it on the workbench then reached for a bottle of water she kept nearby.  
  
She popped the top and took two hearty swallows of the cool fluid. She noticed that she was drinking more and more water lately, something she hadn't done for years, mainly preferring coffee late at night or early in the morning to keep her alert and awake.  
  
She ran the back of her hand under her chin as she closed the bottle with the other hand. Was it her imagination or was it getting hot in the bay?  
  
She strode over to the thermostat on the wall and checked the temperature. It stated that the room was a comfortable 82 degrees. She frowned at it and returned to her water bottle. Taking another sip, she realized what she really wanted now was some frozen yogurt and pickles.   
  
Knowing that such a desire would most likely go unfilled due to the fact that there was none readily available, she sighed again and began to pour over the diagrams on the workbench. She found her mind wandering again within minutes, thinking how nice it would be to be able to buy the baby some of the things it would need without having to make excuses for where she was going and why.  
  
Michael hadn't questioned her at all lately about her health, and her morning sickness had indeed eased up. She hadn't thrown up in over a week now, and she was feeling pretty good. She smiled slightly as she imagined a scene five months from now when she held a small baby and Michael was giving her a hug and admiring his new child.  
  
The swish of Kitt's scanner brought her sharply back to reality. What was she doing daydreaming like that? She needed to be working, and tuning up the turbine, not fantasizing about something that wasn't going to happen. She shook her head to clear it, took a few more sips of the water, then closed it and grabbed the wrench again.   
  
Kitt had been watching Bonnie and noticed how distracted she had been today. Something was obviously on her mind that was keeping her from fully putting all her vast mental resources on the job. He considered scanning her, but dismissed that idea as an invasion of privacy. Her health had indeed improved over the past week, and she fairly glowed on some mornings. Whatever was on her mind had to be something Bonnie would have to volunteer information for.  
  
She went to work on the turbine again, this time managing to keep her concentration for long enough for her to complete the task. She smiled and pulled herself out of the engine and went to sit inside the car. "Kitt, I want you to power up and let me know how that feels."  
  
He obeyed and the engine hummed to life. "Ah, Bonnie that feels so much better. After that last mission where I was treated like a common 4x4 off road vehicle I was unsure that my turbine would ever function the same again. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome, Kitt. I'm glad it feels better." She slid out of the car and walked across the room to pick up a small metal box. "I have something else for you today, you can consider it a gift if you would like."  
  
Kitt never did get to find out what was inside the box for on her trip back across the bay she stumbled over an extension cord and the box went flying. Bonnie did too, and landed right on her stomach quite hard. The box clattered to the ground a few feet away.  
  
Panic and fear raced though Bonnie, as she pulled herself to s sitting position and cradled her injured middle. Was the baby okay? She found it hard to take a breath of air and tried to calm her frantically beating heart.   
  
As he was programmed to do whenever a human was in any sort of danger or had any type of injury, Kitt automatically scanned the fallen woman. What he found in the results surprised even him. He pushed those readings aside for the moment to call out to Bonnie. "Bonnie? Are you alright?"   
  
"Yes, Kitt, I'm fine." Was the baby fine? She longed to ask Kitt, but bit her lip, and stood up carefully. "I guess I should watch where I put my feet." She went to pick up the fallen box, but Kitt's next words stopped her as if she had just been slapped.  
  
"I scanned you when you fell, Bonnie, and I think that it is prudent that you know that the fall had no permanent injury to your person. However, the fetus you are carrying might have sustained some type of shock, yet I can scan no real damage." He paused a moment then continued. "You might want to have a visit to a real doctor just to make sure."  
  
Bonnie placed one hand on her abdomen and held back a sigh. "Thank you, Kitt." She picked the box up and placed it on the workbench then returned to sit in the car. "I think we need to talk."  
  
"Indeed. Bonnie, I am very confused." Kitt answered. "Why did you not tell anyone of your condition?"  
  
Bonnie touched the voicebox very gently, stroking it with one finger. "I guess it's because I didn't want anyone to know. I am very scared, Kitt, and usually when people are scared, they don't necessarily make the wisest decisions."  
  
"I have noticed that to be true." Kitt said. "May I ask a personal question?"   
  
Bonnie held up one hand and interrupted Kitt before he could continue. "I know what you are going to ask and the answer is yes. Michael is the father."  
  
Kitt added this piece of information to his data banks. If Michael was the father, he was going to have to be told, right? He decided to ask Bonnie. "When are you planning on telling Michael?"  
  
She looked around the interior of the car and imagined Michael on a mission. Would he be able to do his job if he knew he had a baby on the way? Could he put his life on the line if he knew it meant he would never see his own child? Knowing Kitt was waiting for an answer, she shrugged. "I guess I will when the time is right. He is in enough danger without having to have his mind on me all the time." Her hands touched her middle again and stroked it gently. "I know I can't hide this fact forever, but I can't really put Michael's life in danger either."   
  
She tried to keep her voice calm as she continued to try to explain. "Besides, Kitt, he told me one time that he didn't want children. And you have to understand that this one will carry his DNA, which means this child will look like Michael Long, not Michael Knight. I don't know if he is ready to deal with that."  
  
She waited now to see what Kitt would say. Now that she had voiced some of her concerns, she felt a little less scared, and more grounded in the reality of her situation. By saying it out loud to someone besides Dr. Hunter it made it more real to her. More permanent, as if once the genie was out of the bottle, there was no bringing it back. True, she could erase Kitt's knowledge of her situation but she would never bring herself to do that.   
  
Kitt processed all he had been told and tried to come up with a suitable response, but his knowledge of human mating was limited to just facts and raw data. Finally at long last he spoke up. "Bonnie, I think I can understand what you are trying to tell me. Is safe to assume that the basis of your fear lies in the probability that Michael might not be happy with a child?"  
  
"Exactly, Kitt." She got out of the car and closed the door, then leaned against it. "What do I do if I tell him and he wants no part of it? What if this baby ends up pushing him away?" She laid her head upon Kitt's roof and finally the uncertainty that had been eating her up inside all rushed out of her in a tangle of words and emotions. It didn't seem to be the least bit strange to her that she would be confessing her deepest, darkest doubts to the car. "I love him with all my heart, Kitt."  
  
Kitt knew he was limited to what he could say to help Bonnie. He had no hands with which to comfort her. "Bonnie, I don't think Michael would be that cruel." He chose his words with great care and tried to put as much emphasis on what he had observed to be true. "I know for a fact that he loves you very much and would do anything for you."  
  
Those words seemed to be the catalyst that broke behind the fear Bonnie was using as a shield to keep the truth hidden. Upon hearing them in Kitt's gentle voice, she finally broke down and cried. Slow, fat tears dripped down her cheeks to land on the roof of the car where they puddled then trickled down the side. "Oh Kitt, I so wish that was true."  
  
Kitt opened his door, "Come sit down, Bonnie, and I can show you that it is." He waited to see if she would accept his invitation.  
  
She did and tucked her graceful legs into the car, sniffing and trying to wipe away her tears, using her already wet hands.   
  
"Here, Bonnie, try these." Kitt opened the glove box to show a few of Michael's handkerchiefs stowed there. Bonnie was caught between a sob and a chuckle of laughter upon seeing them.   
  
"I didn't know Michael carried these," she replied as she took one and closed the compartment door. "Are you sure they aren't Devon's?"   
  
"He put them there the week after he recovered from his near bout with pneumonia last winter." Kitt explained. "He said tissues were too messy."  
  
Bonnie wiped at her face and blew her nose gently. "I remember that. That was the first time he got me to admit that my feelings for him were real."  
  
"Exactly my point, Bonnie." Kitt said and turned on his monitor. "Here is some more 'proof' if you will, of Michael's feelings for you."  
  
The screen flared to life with a visual of Michael driving. "Kitt, I want you to know, and just you, so don't you tell anyone just yet, just how much Bonnie means to me. I've never been happier before in my life. Even when I was with Stevie, something still seemed to be missing from my heart. I now know what that was. It was love, Kitt, plain and simple. Stevie loved me, but her love had conditions to it. One of the conditions was that I give up you. You are a part of my life, and it nearly killed me to have to leave you. I never want to have to face that again."  
  
Bonnie watched, entranced at what she was seeing. Kitt on the visual was now speaking. "I hated to see you go, Michael, but I wanted to do what would make you happy. Isn't that a part of love?"  
  
Michael was shaking his head slightly. "Yes, and no, Kitt. Wanting someone to be happy is indeed part of love, but forcing choices that later can be regretted isn't. That's why I love Bonnie so much. She never would make me choose between you or her. She loves me for who I am, not who I was. She is always there for me, and even when we disagree, she still finds ways of letting me know the love is there underneath it all." He smiled a faint smile, the ends of is mouth curling up just the slightest. "And that, Buddy, is love."  
  
The screen darkened, and Bonnie found herself wiping away a fresh stream of tears with the end of the crumpled handkerchief. "Does he know you taped that?"  
  
A very slight hesitation; then a softly spoken, "No."  
  
She smiled and reached forward to place a kiss right upon the voicebox. "Thank you, Kitt. I'm glad you did."  
  
Kitt felt like he could Turbo Boost into the air without any help or speed or anything right at that moment. "You are quite welcome, Bonnie. That was just one of many conversations that we have together on our long trips. He talks about you quite often, so I don't think you can use the excuse that telling him will make him think of you more. He does quite enough of that on his own."  
  
She nodded and felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. Kitt was right. She was using her own doubts to keep news that Michael was obligated to know. "Okay, I'll tell him. First chance I get, Kitt. But I want you to promise me that you will not say anything at all about what you have learned today until I tell him."  
  
Kitt hesitated. Was she asking him to lie? "Bonnie, you know I'm incapable of telling a lie."  
  
She waved a hand at the dashboard. "Then don't do it. Just change the topic or find some way to distract him. I know you can do that, you've done it before. Just don't say one word to him about the baby, or my being pregnant, okay?"  
  
She was so focused on getting the AI to promise to remain silent that she didn't see Michael step into the bay.  
  
"Bonnie…"  
  
"Kitt," she said sternly. "Promise me."  
  
He was backed into a corner and he knew it. "Alright. I promise."  
  
"Good, as I want to be the one to tell him."  
  
"Tell me what?" Michael said as he stuck his head into the window.  
  
Bonnie yelped and jumped at least a foot into the air, smacking her head into the roof of the car. "Dammit, Michael, I wish you wouldn't DO that." She reached up and rubbed at the top of her head with one hand. "You nearly made me jump out of my skin!"  
  
He was already grinning hugely as he helped her out of the car. "I'd much rather see you jump out of that car and into my arms." He held them open and she stepped easily inside and embraced him even as she swatted his behind.   
  
"You are such a charmer, you know that?" His body was warm against hers and for a moment it was just as it always had been, just her and him and love.  
  
"Of course, Sweetheart." He squeezed her once more then released her. "Now what was it you wanted to tell me?""  
  
Faced with the moment, she almost resorted to her previous panic, but a glance down at Kitt brought her resolve back up. "Well, Michael, um, I do have something very important to tell you and I want you to be completely honest with me when I'm done, okay?"  
  
"Of course, Angel." He took one of her hands in his. "I give you my word that truthful is all I will be."  
  
She bit her lip, and swallowed the fear that was rising inside her. All she had to do now was say two little words. Just because those two words were 'I'm pregnant' was nothing to fear. She took a deep breath. "You love me, right? No matter what, you love me?" It was supposed to come out as a statement, but it was voiced as more of a doubting question.  
  
He kissed her on her forehead. "That's an understatement if I ever heard one. Don't you agree, pal?" He turned his attention away from her to look at Kitt.   
  
"Yes, Michael, I more than agree."  
  
Bonnie smiled, this could actually work. Kitt was right, Michael wouldn't be that cruel to her. She took another deep breath and steeled her resolve. "Good. Okay, here goes nothing." She locked her eyes with his, and opened her mouth, it was go for broke time now. "Michael, I love you very much and I'm…"  
  
The rest of her statement was interrupted as Devon burst into the bay, his suit jacket flapping behind him wildly as if he had been running all the way from the mansion. "Michael," he panted. "There you are. I've been looking all over the place for you." He took another gasping breath. "We need you in the field right now. We just got word that two women have been shot and the suspect is a friend of the man you arrested not that long ago. I think you remember the man who shot Stevie, Kurt Rolands? Well this guy is out for your blood, Michael. He's shooting innocent people down at the bank until you arrive in person."  
  
Michael's face hardened. "Of course I remember Kurt. How could I possibly forget that scum?" He dropped Bonnie's hands. "Whatever you were going to have to say will have to wait. I can't put other people at risk for me." He kissed her once very quickly and dove into Kitt. With a press of the button, he fired the car up. "Kitt can you scan the police frequencies and patch me through to him?"  
  
"Yes, Michael." Kitt said as they sped off, leaving twin streaks of coated rubber on the cement slab behind them.   
  
It all happened in a split second, and Bonnie was left standing there, her proclamation dead in her throat. She sighed heavily.  
  
"I do hope I wasn't intruding on something important," Devon said after finally realizing that something had indeed been going on in the bay before he had burst in.   
  
Bonnie shook her head and pulled her hair back into a ponytail which she secured with a rubber band from a table nearby. "It's okay, Devon. It can wait." It's waited four months so far, she thought mentally. What's another day or two? "What he's doing now is more important."  
  
"Good." Devon said with a slight smile. "Care to join me in the main house for a cup of tea while we await word on how long it takes Michael to apprehend this monster?" He proffered his elbow in a very gentlemanly way.  
  
"Certainly," she said and linked her arm with his. "Shall we take bets on this one?"  
  
He appeared shocked for a moment then realized she was joking. "Only if the profits go to charity, my dear." He winked at her and then led her up to the main house, giggling like a schoolgirl on her first date.  
  
It actually had taken two weeks for Michael to catch the monster and get him thrown in the pen with his buddy. Two long weeks that had taken him out of California, across Arizona and into New Mexico.   
  
Two weeks that had seen him shot at, chased, almost kidnapped and twice separated from Kitt. In the end though, he had won and the criminal had been captured.  
  
During those two weeks he hadn't had enough free time to even think about home or what Bonnie had been about to tell him, but after the mission was over, he had plenty of time.  
  
It was on the long drive back that the subject finally came up in conversation as he was reaching for topics to keep him awake on the journey home. He had been deep in thought when he remembered how the mission had started.  
  
"Hey, Kitt?"  
  
"Yes, Michael?"   
  
"Do you ever think about how much we give on these missions? How far away sometimes they take us?" Michael asked while resting one hand comfortably on the gull-wing. They were traveling at some 80 plus MPH, which for Kitt was nearly a crawl, and he was more than comfortable with putting only half his attention on the road ahead.   
  
"Every time, Michael. Sometimes they take us places that cars were just not meant to go. Like across water, or into airplanes." He answered with only a bit of humor added. He still hadn't really forgiven Michael for taking him up in the airplane that time, even if it had been to rescue Bonnie. Cars were not meant to leave the road, and he took every opportunity to remind Michael of that fact.  
  
Michael chuckled, "Yeah, buddy, I hear ya." He patted the multicolored dash lightly. "I have no plans to go skydiving anytime soon, so stop worrying."  
  
"I'm not worried," Kitt said.  
  
"Uh-huh. And I'm the King of France."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Your Royal Highness," Kitt quipped. It was times like this that he enjoyed the time with Michael, where they were just two friends sharing a bit of life's random thoughts. He was proud of the fact that his humor program had grown since he had been first introduced and Michael had likened him to nothing more than Darth Vader's bathroom.  
  
Michael laughed. "Touche."  
  
He then grew serious. "You know, I've been wondering just what Bonnie was going to tell me before Devon ran in. I've come up with a few ideas but none I'm really certain of."  
  
Kitt remained silent, letting Michael voice his thoughts. He had no intention of going back on his promise to Bonnie, and now he began thinking of ways to sidetrack his partner, should the need arise.  
  
"I kept thinking, just what could be so important that she doubts her love for me, and you know something, buddy? I've got it narrowed down to four choices."  
  
Again Kitt remained silent.   
  
Michael let out a noise that was a bit of a 'harumph' type of sound. "No use playing silent on me, Kitt. I know you know what is going on." He tapped the voicebox gently. "Why not let me in on the secret, and then she won't have to go through the whole drama again when I get home."  
  
"I can't do that, Michael." Kitt said sadly.   
  
"Ah-HA!" Michael exclaimed. "I was only guessing that you had been talking about her problem when I walked in, but I wasn't sure. So you do know what is going on."  
  
"Yes, Michael, I do." Kitt's voice had lost all it's cheerful humor that it just moments before had displayed.   
  
"So why don't you just tell me? Kitt, come on, you saw how tough it was on her the first time to get up the courage to even begin to say whatever it was she was going to say. Can you put her through that again?" Michael tried to reason with the AI.   
  
"I can't do that, Michael. Bonnie asked me not to." Kitt decided to try to change the subject as Bonnie had suggested. "Would you like to listen to some music to help pass the time? I hear some of your favorite bands have put out some new songs."  
  
"No, Kitt, I do not want to listen to music. I want to talk." Michael was now losing his previous good humor. He was not about to be outsmarted by his own car. "Here why don't you drive for a bit?" He pressed the Auto Cruise button and Kitt immediately took over. "I want to stretch out while I talk to you."  
  
He stretched his legs as far as they would go and reached his hands above his head. He knew if he was going to get any information from the car, he would have to be tricky about it. Once he was done and comfortable he began his plan of attack for information. "So, Bonnie told you not to tell, right?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"But she didn't say that I couldn't try to guess, right?"  
  
"Again that is correct, but Michael I would rather you not try. We will be home in less than an hour and then you can get what you need to know from Bonnie herself."   
  
"Well I've got little else on my mind at the moment, so indulge me, Pal." He folded his hands behind his head and started asking questions, rapid fire.  
  
"Does it have to do with us? Us meaning Me and Bonnie."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does it have to do with you?"   
  
"No."  
  
"Does it have to do with Devon?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is she upset because of it?"  
  
"Obviously, Michael."  
  
"Does she think I'm going to leave her?"  
  
"Possibly."  
  
"Is she ill?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Is she worried for the future."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does she love me?"  
  
"Michael, of course she does."  
  
Michael frowned. "Did she tell you that?"  
  
"Yes," Kitt said. "She's very much in love with you."  
  
"Okay, just checking. Now where was I? Hmmmm.. she loves me, thinks I'm going to leave her, but she's not sick. It doesn't involve you or Devon, and she's very worried about the future. What other questions can I ask?"  
  
"Ones that take us away from this subject would be nice." Kitt said as he steered around a bend in the road. "I really don't feel comfortable discussing this, Michael, and you know I can't lie."  
  
Michael smiled. "That is precisely what I'm counting on."  
  
Kitt tried one last time to appeal to Michael's sense of proprietary. "Please, Michael, don't make me do this."  
  
"Then just tell me, Buddy. I won't tell her you told me, and everything will be fine." Michael said as he tried to trick the intelligence behind the car.  
  
"No, Michael. She made me promise."  
  
Michael whistled. "Whoa… A promise to Bonnie is like a death sentence." He grinned. "Suit yourself then."  
  
"Does this mean you are going to drop the subject?" Kitt asked hopefully.   
  
"Not on your life, pal."  
  
"I was afraid of that." Kitt deadpanned.   
  
"Ok back to the questions. Is this news harmful?"  
  
"Depends on how you look at it."  
  
"Do you know how I will react?"  
  
"No, but I might use the word stunned or shocked." Kitt said helpfully.  
  
"Is it news I might like to hear?"  
  
"There is no way to tell."  
  
"Does the news mainly center around me or Bonnie."  
  
"It affects both of you in different ways." Kitt tried to squirm out of that question.  
  
"OOOOkay." Michael took a deep breath. "It's one of two things. Either Bonnie is planning on leaving the Foundation again, and wants me to go with her…"  
  
He thought that scenario over and over again in his mind, but somehow that didn't seem to fit in with how Bonnie had been feeling lately. She loved her job and she loved Kitt. She loved playing 'mother hen' to her 'baby chick' and taking car of the car.  
  
The next thought to hit Michael's mind was like running into a brick wall. Playing Mother. Dr. Jeremy Hunter, OB/GYN. Throwing up, feeling tired, cranky, moody. Being scared to face him. Worrying about the future. The damn vitamins. Good God, the vitamins. The PRENATAL vitamins. Michael took in a deep breath of air and was suddenly glad that he wasn't driving the car.   
  
Kitt had remained silent while Michael was doing his thinking and he suddenly realized that Michael had figured out what the big announcement was going to be. He saw Michael suck in a deep breath of air. Kitt feared Michael was about to pass out when his longtime pal spoke quietly.  
  
"You don't have to tell me, Kitt. I think I just figured it out for myself." Michael brought his palms to his face and gently sagged against them. "You don't have to say a word, Buddy, and you can tell her you kept your promise not to tell me." His voice was muffled, and sounded shaky.  
  
"Thank you, Michael."  
  
"How much longer until we arrive?" Michael asked as he scrubbed at his eyes before lowering his hands.  
  
"About 20 minutes."  
  
"Good, then she will still be awake. And I can finally confront her and ask her why the hell didn't she tell me the moment she found out she was pregnant."  
  



	5. Revelations & Consequences

Fifth Month  
  
Revelations & Consequences  
  
Bonnie walked carefully through the vast expanse that served as the Foundation's gardens. The sun was just rising in the east and cast a golden glow across the many colorful flowers, making the place seem just one step away from Heaven. Her slipper-clad feet brushed softly across the dew coated blades of grass, leaving a darkened trail in her wake.   
  
She was searching for the one spot she liked the most, the spot where the main gardens branched off to lead to the guest houses. At that spot there was a bench, right near an archway that was always coated with white blossoms. It was a peaceful place to sit and think, and she had been coming out here every morning to do quite a bit of thinking.   
  
She tightened her robe slightly, she never bothered to dress when she came out here, for what was the point? Who would care if they saw her in her bathrobe and nightgown? No one, that's who; she thought bitterly. Her hands brushed over the now visible bulge that was her 22 week along pregnancy. It was no longer a secret to anyone.   
  
She found the bench and sat down on the slightly damp surface, feeling the moisture as a chilly wetness as she settled herself. She was very torn this morning, torn with conflicting feelings over the major decision she had been brooding over for the past few days.  
  
She considered her recent past. Five months ago, she had been happy. Four months ago, her world had been torn out from under her when she discovered that she was pregnant. From that moment on she had lived in fear of discovery.  
  
Four weeks ago, Kitt had discovered her condition and had promised not to tell Michael. It was a promise that the AI had a whole lot of trouble keeping, for Michael had been very diligent in trying to get Kitt to speak. Kitt had proven himself trustworthy and had kept the secret.   
  
Ten days ago, Michael had figured it out on his own. Bonnie sat in the rising sun and thought back to that day when he had come back from that fateful mission.   
  
He had pulled into Bay 3 where Bonnie was busy brewing coffee in preparation for Kitt's arrival back. She had cut back majorly on the caffeinated stuff due to her condition, but she still allowed herself a mug or two before starting any heavy work.  
  
After being notified that they were on their way back, Bonnie had set up the basic components to test and realign any of Kitt's systems that might have been damaged during the mission. She had been unprepared for what had happened next.  
  
Michael had pulled the car into the bay at a very fast rate of speed. The black car had slid to a stop, just inches from the wall. Michael had jumped from the car and immediately made a beeline for the area where Bonnie was standing, coffeepot in hand, looking surprised.  
  
He disregarded the fact that Kitt had been speaking to him when he leapt from the car. Bonnie couldn't make out any of the words but she did notice that Kitt's scanner was swishing very rapidly, a sure sign of agitation in the AI.  
  
Michael reached her and took the pot from her hand and put it down on the counter. He then grabbed her arm and instead of the welcome home hug she had been expecting, she ended up being hauled across the bay to an area where some chairs had been set up for taking breaks.   
  
She took one look at his face and she knew at once that he KNEW. She suddenly felt as if she had swallowed a whole tray of ice cubes and they were sliding very slowly down her throat to congeal in her stomach. His normally warm blue eyes were frozen shards of the same ice she imagined she had swallowed. His face was set like stone.   
  
He gave her a small shove and she sat into the plush chair that had seen many better days. She perched awkwardly on the edge of it and tried to reason with the man she saw standing there. "Michael…"  
  
He halted her speech with a single look. Her voice withered away and died in her throat. He began to pace in front of her, taking most of his aggression out on the floor below. He took a few steps in either direction before turning and attempting to speak to her. This happened a few times before he finally found his voice. "Bonnie, how could you?" He stopped his pacing and took one of the folding chairs and turned it around so he could straddle it. "Why did you lie to me?" He waited only a brief moment, not long enough for her to answer before adding, "You could just have told me. Why didn't you trust me with the truth?"  
  
Bonnie glanced once towards the spot where Kitt was parked.  
  
He followed her eyes and shook his head. "Kitt didn't tell me a thing. I figured it out for myself. You might not think I can do it, but I can add one plus one. You left a trail that even Sherlock Holmes could easily track."  
  
Bonnie let out a small sigh. She should have expected this. "I wanted to tell you, Michael. I was afraid of how you would react."   
  
Michael slapped the top of the chair hard, which caused Bonnie to jump. "So what? Did you think you could hide this from me until the baby was born? Didn't you think I would notice? I am capable of handling important news, Bonnie."  
  
"I know," she said quietly. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute and she felt like she just might pass out again. She forced her breathing to stay slow, if she fainted she figured Michael would just take it the wrong way and think she was using it as an excuse to avoid talking to him. "I just thought that with all the conversations we had about children that you wouldn't be happy with the news."  
  
"What?!" He looked at her with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Happy or not, I had a right not know from the start." He locked his eyes with hers and she could see none of the love she had previously found there. "At one point I just about came out and asked you and you lied to me."  
  
She nodded and blinked back tears. She wasn't going to start crying now. "I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't want to but I didn't know how to tell you."  
  
"Would the words 'Michael, I'm pregnant' have been to hard to use?" he asked her sarcastically. He could see that he was scaring her, but he was already fired up with his own frustration, and anger and he was hurt from her deception.   
  
"It's not that easy," she said, hearing her voice rise as she tried to defend herself.   
  
"Yes it was. And we could have sat down and discussed our options like adults."  
  
"Options?" her voice cracked on the one word. "Options as in abortion?" Her eyes narrowed in barely contained anger.  
  
"Now wait a minute," he stood quickly and the chair tumbled away from him. "Don't you put words in my mouth."  
  
"There are no options, Michael, except adoption and if you think I'm giving my baby up then you're nuts." Her voice now was as cold as his eyes.   
  
"Bonnie, be reasonable. We can't have a baby here! What kind of life is this for a child?" He knelt down in front of her and for a brief moment she saw a flash of warmth cross his face. "Wouldn't you like to see the baby in a loving home where it can grow up safe and happy?"  
  
"Michael! I can't believe you would suggest such a thing!" Her face filled with her disappointment. Whatever dreams she had of them being a happy family were being dashed to pieces right in front of her eyes. "The baby will be fine with me."  
  
"Don't you mean to say 'with us?'"  
  
Bonnie shook her head, her dark hair brushing across her shoulders. "No, I meant exactly what I said, WITH ME. You obviously don't want children, so don't worry, I won't bother you with this one."  
  
Michael stood now and the stone mask slid back into place. He turned his back on her and folded his arms across his chest. He wasn't about to let her see how much her words had just hurt him now. "I still should have been told."  
  
He had to bite his cheek to keep his resolve set. He so wanted to turn around and comfort her, but his pride was wounded. All he wanted at this point was for her to admit she had been wrong. She was doing everything but that. "You had no right to keep this from me this long."  
  
Bonnie on the other hand, needed and wanted his reassurance. "You know, you could be a bit more sympathetic. It's not easy from my side." She stood up from her chair, this conversation was not going anywhere.   
  
"And you could be a bit more honest." He turned around to face her and the next words flew from his mouth before he even realized what he was saying. "How do I know the baby is even mine?"  
  
He was rewarded with a very sharp gasp from Bonnie and a resounding slap to the side of his face. Bonnie burst into tears then and ran from the room.  
  
She ran away from the garage and all the way across the courtyard to the mansion, tears flowing and dripping down her face. She ran right into Devon, who was just coming outside for a stroll.  
  
"Whoa there. Bonnie, are you alright?" He reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief which he pressed into one of her shaking hands. "There, there, now. Let's go inside and get you calmed down."  
  
He led her into his office where he fixed her a cup of tea and let her pour her broken heart out through many sobs. She told him of her pregnancy, fully expecting him to be shocked or disgusted at her immorality. She was even expecting a lecture from the older and wiser man.  
  
What she got instead surprised her. He walked over to her and held her, comforted her and reassured her that things would be okay. He rubbed her back gently as she cried on his shoulder and told of some of the horrible things Michael had said. In short, he did everything that Michael should have done, and more.  
  
One he had gotten her to calm down, he even escorted her to her room to lie down. He promised that no one would disturb her. Then he had given her a fatherly hug and kiss on the forehead and told her that if she still needed to talk when she awoke, he would be there for her.  
  
That had been ten days ago. Michael had not sought her out even once during that time. She had discovered later that he had left on a three week vacation without even saying goodbye to her.   
  
Bonnie choked back a sob as the memory filled her. This was exactly what she had feared from the first moment she had realized that she was pregnant. She had been abandoned. Michael was gone and that was all the proof she needed of his 'love' for her. Actions did speak louder than words and he was shouting all over the place.  
  
The sun was up now and she stood, her decision made. She would be unable to stay here, knowing that she would have to continue to work with someone who so obviously hated her.   
  
She was going to have to leave.  
  
She supposed that she could go back home to where her mother and sister were, and have the baby there. Anything would be better than staying here and living with her heartbreak.  
  
It was going to hurt even more to leave Kitt again. She had left once before and had considered herself fortunate that Devon had taken her back. This time she expected that she would never see the car again. Michael had taken Kitt, so she didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to him.   
  
She hoped that Devon would be able to get April Curtis back. The red-headed cybernetic technician had proven herself fully capable of handling Kitt on a daily basis. At least Kitt would be in good hands then.   
  
Bonnie made her way through the gardens again and towards the main house, her mind made up and her resolve set. She would talk to Devon, and tell him she really needed to leave. She knew he would understand, possibly even make the arrangements for her, because she knew that he at least cared about what happened to her.  
  
She was in for a rough time now. She touched the bulge that signified her new life. "Baby, I'll protect and love you no matter what," she whispered in the still morning air. "I'll never hurt you and I'll give you the best that I can."   
  
With her eyes full of unshed tears, she reached for the mansion door, and for her date with her new future.  
  



	6. Loneliness & Doubts

Sixth Month  
  
Loneliness & Doubts  
  
Michael walked along the vacant stretch of beach, letting the wind toss his hair askew. Kitt was parked near the water's edge, waiting patiently for his driver. Every few moments a wave would break and roll upon the shore where it would just stop at the edge of the tires.  
  
Michael bent down and picked up a stray seashell, before straightening up to toss it back into the ocean. He had come out here many times when he needed to think, and usually it would help him. He didn't know if it was the calmness of the ocean or just the fact that he was out from under the pressures of life that would do it. Either way, he would end his walk with a clearer mind and a purpose to fulfill.   
  
He knew already that he had done wrong by Bonnie. She didn't need his arguments, or his anger. She had needed him and he had failed her. His own sense of judgment had been off that day, and by the time he had cooled down enough, she had been gone.  
  
He did go looking for her but he ran into a brick wall. A very solid wall named Devon Miles. Devon had done nothing short of blast the hell out of him and Michael had agreed with every word that had been said. Devon had refused to let Michael see Bonnie, stating that she really needed to rest and she had been upset enough that day.  
  
He had given Michael some sound advice and a three week vacation to get his life back together. Michael almost hadn't gone, but he knew Bonnie needed some time away from him as well. He had done enough damage on that front. He didn't want to hurt her anymore than he already had.   
  
He decided to take the time allotted to him to let things settle down. Once he returned, he would sit down with Bonnie and apologize. He really did love her, and now that he was getting used to the fact that he was going to be a father, he was actually beginning to enjoy it.   
  
He closed his eyes and let the sun warm his face while he imagined a day three months from now. Bonnie would be sitting in a bed, a tiny bundle cradled to her chest. Michael would come over and sit beside them. He would lean down and place a gentle kiss on a sweet smelling, peach fuzz covered head. It would be either his son or his daughter. His child.   
  
Automatically his eyes opened and he raised one hand to touch the cheek Bonnie had slapped. Oh, he had deserved that one. How could he ever doubt her? She was his life, his heart, his very soul. When he thought of what he had said to her that day, he felt lower than low.   
  
The wind blew off the ocean and brought his thoughts back to today. It was the last day of his vacation and he was looking forward to going back home. He only hoped that Bonnie would accept his apologies and forgive him.   
  
He had reached the end of his walk and went to perch on the prow of the car. Kitt had been an invaluable friend during this time. He had listened to Michael and offered no judgments of his own. "Kitt?"  
  
"Yes, Michael?"  
  
"I've been thinking a lot lately, and this baby is going to change a lot of things. We are going to have to make accommodations."  
  
The scanner swished once. "What kind of accommodations?"  
  
Michael smiled. "Well, a baby car seat for one. Maybe some 'baby on board' signs in the rear window?"  
  
The response he got was exactly what he had expected. "The car seat I will allow, but Michael are the signs really necessary? Is it customary to announce there is a baby in the car for everyone to see?"  
  
Michael chuckled. "Yes, Kitt. It's like having a neon sign that states, 'I'm a proud daddy' to everyone that looks."  
  
"Really, Michael." Kitt deadpanned. "I don't think any type of signs, neon or otherwise, serve any useful purpose."  
  
"Just be glad I won't write on your windows like some people do." He snickered at a visual of Kitt driving down the road with 'It's a boy' or 'It's a girl' handwritten in large shoe-polish letters on the rear window.   
  
"I shudder to think of it." A pause, then, "You wouldn't, would you?"  
  
Michael smiled. "No, buddy, I wouldn't." He patted the hood once. "What say we leave this sandy place and head on home? I'm pretty sure I have one really ticked off lady to apologize and grovel to by now."  
  
In response Kitt fired up the engine. "Yes, Michael. Going home sounds like a great idea. The salt water is corroding my chassis."  
  
Michael was still grinning as he slid behind the wheel. "You say that every time we come out here, Kitt. So far no one has seen any damage."  
  
"Would you prefer that I say that I have sand in my trunk?"  
  
At that thought, Michael broke out into full laughter. A mental image of Kitt wearing bathing trunks and dancing around the beach trying to shake out sand had inserted itself into Michael's mind. He laughed so hard that he had to wipe away a tear. "No, Kitt, I don't think that would be necessary."  
  
"Very well, Michael. I don't see what is so funny though."  
  
Michael had to push the thought completely away before he started up again. "Some day, buddy, maybe I'll tell you." He shifted into drive and pulled away from the beach, leaving only the tire tracks that said he had once been here as he headed for home.  
  
"What the hell do you mean, 'She's gone?' Where did she go?" Michael stood in front of Devon's desk, ignoring the fact that the head of FLAG had been on the phone.   
  
Devon made his apologies and disconnected the call, placing the receiver gently back into the cradle. "Michael, please, raising your voice isn't necessary. I can hear you quite well without the extra volume."   
  
Michael clenched his hands into fists. He took a deep breath and released it. "Where is Bonnie?" He asked the question slowly and made his meaning very clear.  
  
Devon sighed. He really wasn't in the mood for a confrontation right now. His day had been bad enough dealing with the Board of Directors and trying to get April back on the project. It wasn't as easy as just calling her up and having her move back. She had secured a job with a rather prestigious company developing onboard computer technology for military aircraft and civilian planes. It had taken him a whole week to find her, and it was taking even longer to try to get her to come back.  
  
He looked to where Michael was standing, his body tight as a rod, demanding an answer to his question. "Bonnie has gone, Michael. She has left FLAG." He sighed and picked up a pen to sign some papers that he had pushed aside weeks ago. He had just barely put the pen to the paper when it was snatched from his grip.  
  
"Where did she go?" Michael asked again, keeping the pen from Devon's reaching hand. "Why did she leave? I want answers, Devon, and I mean to get them."  
  
Devon could see that Michael was determined, but what he didn't know was that Bonnie had requested her privacy be protected. He stood up and walked around his desk, knowing the paperwork would not be finished today. As he stood in front of Michael, he stated very clearly, "She is somewhere safe, and requested no contact at this time from you. She is endeavoring to straighten out her life, and she stated that she would be unable to do that if she kept her employment at FLAG."   
  
"Dammit, Devon, she's carrying my child! I need to see her!" He threw the pen back on the desk and made a move to grab the older man by the very shirt he wore and shake him until the answers fell out. One look from the man told him if he tried it, he just might be sorry. Michael pounded the desk instead in frustration.   
  
Devon placed one hand gently on Michael's arm. He found that when dealing with the younger man, sometimes patience was a virtue. "Michael, if and when she wants you to see her, she will contact you."  
  
Michael brushed off the hand. "Like hell she will." He turned and headed for the door, stopping only for a moment to call over his shoulder, "I love her, Devon, more than anything else in this world. I love her and the baby she's got. I mean to find her, no matter what it takes." He then stormed out of the room, not even giving Devon a chance to reply.  
  
Devon rubbed at his temples. Young people always gave him headaches, and Michael was no exception to that rule. He knew that with Kitt on Michael's side, it wouldn't take long to track down Bonnie. He just hoped that she would be ready to deal with him when the inevitable occurred.  
  
Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief as she sat in the doctor's office and he reviewed the results of her amniocentesis test with her. She had been scared of what it might show, as she wasn't exactly in her 20's and getting pregnant. She was older, and with age and pregnancy, came certain risks.  
  
The doctor had advised her that the test was necessary to check for Down's Syndrome, spina bifida, and many other rare or inherited diseases. The needle he had used was long and thin, and the whole procedure was quite routine.  
  
She was just glad that the results came back negative on all counts. Her baby was healthy.  
  
She thanked the doctor and set up her next appointment, then left the office. She missed her visits with Dr. Hunter, but being halfway across the nation, it wasn't practical for her to see him.  
  
Not knowing much about Michael's family history had prompted her to check into all aspects of any birth defects she could think of. Every time, the baby proved to be healthy and thriving.  
  
Which is more than she was doing right now. She had moved back to her hometown and had gotten a small apartment near her family. They had wanted her to move right in, but she had declared that she really needed her space, and didn't want to feel crowded. FLAG had set her up with a nice sized compensation check, and she had promised Devon that if she was ever in financial difficulty she would call him.   
  
Devon had indeed made the arrangements and although he was sad to see her leave, he could understand her reasons behind it. She promised to keep in touch with him and told him he could visit anytime. She also had him promise to keep her location private for the time being.   
  
Now she was wondering if that had been a wise move. She was constantly lonely, and most nights she would cry herself to sleep. If not for the new life she was carrying, she would wonder why she ever thought she could do this alone.   
  
She was miserable and missed Michael terribly, but she wasn't going to make the call that her heart so desperately wanted her to make. She knew he didn't love her, didn't want her or her baby. Yet, she still loved him and knew that it would take time for her to learn to live alone.  
  
She could feel the baby moving now, and wished she could share the simple joy of it with someone. She did call Devon once and spent over and hour on the phone telling him all about what the baby had been doing. She felt a bit silly afterwards but he had seemed genuinely happy that she had called.  
  
She knew she didn't have much time left, for the next three months were going to pass in a blur of activity and preparation. She had many decisions to make and some she didn't know if she could make by herself.   
  
Sooner or later, she knew she would have to call Michael and face him once the baby was born. They would have to set up some sort of arrangement through the courts that would allow him to relinquish his much unwanted rights to the baby so she would never have to worry about him later asking for custody.  
  
As if, she thought. She wondered how she could ever have thought he loved her, how her natural instincts had been tricked. Michael probably had a woman in every city he visited. He was probably on vacation now with a bevy of skinny bikini-clad blondes hanging off his arms. Why would he even think of her and her overweight body now?   
  
She left her car and entered her apartment, stopping once before the mirror in the hallway to look at her reflection. Her normally slim frame was definitely showing the signs of pregnancy. It still seemed strange to her that the lump in the mirror was attached to her body.   
  
She closed the door behind her and locked it. After retrieving a light lunch she sat in front of her television to watch a movie on the women's channel. She knew better than to watch those films, but somehow the dramas and the feelings they evoked in her was better than thinking of her real life and the headaches involved in it.   
  
Sometimes the movies would make her cry, but mostly they made her realize she was lucky to have some people in her life that cared. Her mother would stop by almost every night to check on her. Her sister would call, and take her out shopping for new things to buy for the baby. Devon would check on her to see if everything was going fine, and make sure she wasn't without a single thing she needed.  
  
She had everything she needed. Well, everything that was, except the love of the man she so craved. She wondered idly if the baby would look like him, and then thought that once the baby was born, she wouldn't know. She had never seen pictures of Michael Long, and didn't know what he had looked like before his surgery. He had told her once that waking up and finding his own face gone was one of the most frightening things he had ever had to deal with. He said that it had taken him months to get used to seeing a stranger in the mirror.  
  
He had told her that his eyes were naturally blue, and that they really didn't change his hair. Only his face had been altered, along with his fingerprints.   
  
So now, she realized, she was carrying the baby of a man who was literally deceased. In all aspects, Michael Long was dead.   
  
She sighed again and turned the set off. Idly she reached over to the table and had picked up the phone. She dialed the number that would put her in touch with Kitt before realizing exactly what she was doing. When it began to ring, she came to her senses and slammed the phone down.  
  
What was she doing? She had almost slipped up and given away her location! She missed the car terribly, missed her job, missed California, and yes, missed Michael. Why was she here instead of with him? Not for the first time, she began to doubt her choice.   
  
Did she really know that he had used her? Did she even give him the chance to explain? Did she even owe him that much?  
  
All questions and no answers. The answers were stuck in California. She got up from the sofa and moved away from the temptation of the phone. She wasn't going to call him.   
  
She needed a distraction, one to pull her away from this depth of loneliness that was trying to crush her. Deciding that a trip to the local mall might help, she picked up her keys and purse and headed out the door. In the worse case scenario she would just end up spending a bunch of money on stuff she really didn't need. It had to be better than sitting around her apartment pining away for a man that she could never have again.  
  
With a false smile on her face, she locked the apartment door and headed towards her car. She could do this, she thought. She could be happy even in the middle of nowhere.  
  



	7. Choices

Choices

Seventh Month

It wasn't something that Devon did very often but today it seemed like he was doing it a lot. He hung up the phone and swore loudly, knowing that no one would hear him in his empty office.

April had turned him down, again. He had been trying for the past three weeks to get her to sign back on with the Foundation, but she had rejected his offers each time. She was plenty happy with her new job and nothing he seemed to offer her would entice her back.

Which ultimately left him in a very sticky situation. Kitt needed work, and there was no one to perform it. Yes, the Foundation had basic mechanics, but only a trained cybernetic technician would be able to understand all the intricacies involved in Kitt's inner workings.

He had been looking for weeks now, ever since Bonnie had left FLAG, for someone qualified enough, but had run into dead ends at every turn. Either the people who interviewed for the job were not knowledgeable enough, or they were not trustworthy enough to be allowed a glimpse of what made the modified Trans-Am run. April had been his last hope and now that was gone.

He didn't relish sending Michael on missions in a less than fully functional vehicle, but lately he had little choice. If they didn't find a solution to their problem soon, Michael would be unable to venture out into the field. The mechanics were doing what they could, even working together at times, but it still wasn't enough when components were breaking down faster than they could keep up with them.

Devon swore again, and glanced at another list of candidates that was going to be interviewed later today. He could already tell from the list of qualifications next to each name that none of them would be getting the job either. Four out of the five names listed were recent college graduates, with little or no real computer experience save for what they had picked up in the classroom. He couldn't trust Michael's well-being to a bunch of kids that wanted to play programmer in their spare time. The fifth name was one he had seen before, but the man who belonged to that name was known for occasional mix-ups in software programming.

He was running out of choices, and Michael was running out of time. Kitt was functioning at about 65 of normal capacity and with each mission, the number grew smaller.

Devon's hands were tied. Backed into a corner, he was left with just one choice, and that was to contact Bonnie. Even knowing how she felt about working for FLAG, he had to give it a shot. He hated to disturb her privacy, even hated the idea even less of dragging her back here when she was so settled right now.

Sighing again, he picked up the phone and called the hangar where the Knight Jet was stored. He spoke briefly to the pilot and within an hour he would be taking off and flying out to see Bonnie personally. He hoped that if he presented his case in person it would be received with a bit more of a welcome than if he called.

He checked once more on Michael's location on his current mission, then straightened his tie and began the task of preparing for his flight.

Bonnie was exhausted. The last of her guests from the impromptu baby shower had just left. Her sister and mother had stayed long enough to clean up the wrappings and put most of the leftover cake and accoutrements away, but Bonnie still had to put the gifts away.

She had been surprised to even find out that so many people had cared enough to do this for her, and it certainly took care of most of her needs for the upcoming event. With only about 11 more weeks remaining in her pregnancy, it was getting harder and harder to keep her mind on anything else.

She was in the process of folding some baby blankets when she heard a knock on her door. "Coming!" she called out and hoisted herself off the sofa and walked towards the entranceway. "Who is it?" she asked while resting one hand on the doorknob.

"Bonnie? It's Devon." She heard a very familiar voice say.

She opened the door to find him standing there, smiling. "Devon! Oh it's so good to see you!" She stepped forward and greeted him with a hug. Well as much of a hug as she could muster given her current state of pregnancy. "Please, come in."

He followed her inside the apartment and noticed the balloons and decorations still hanging from the ceiling. "Oh, I do hope I'm not interrupting any festivities."

She shook her head. "Oh, no, that was from earlier. Everyone is gone now. Please, sit down. Can I get you something to drink? Tea, perhaps?"

He took a seat on her sofa, and glanced at the myriad of gifts piled on the tables and floor in front of him. "No, thank you. I'm fine. It looks like you got the whole baby store here. If I had known, I would have brought a gift."

Bonnie lifted a pile of sleepers from the table and moved them into a laundry basket she had brought out from the bedroom. "Oh that's quite alright. I do appreciate the thought." A package of cloth diapers followed the sleepers into the basket. "So what brings you into town, Devon, and don't give me that line that you were just passing by. I know you better than that."

Devon sighed, knowing that was he was about to ask wasn't going to be easy. Now that he was here, and saw how well Bonnie was doing, he almost hesitated to bring the subject up. "Well, you are right in that aspect. I did come here for a specific reason, and before I even tell you, I want you to know that you are free to refuse my request with no hard feelings."

Bonnie added the blankets to the basket. "You don't even have to ask. You came here to ask me to come back to FLAG." She halted her folding and just dropped the rest of the clothing into the basket in a heap. "Is that right?"

Devon nodded, "Yes, I'm afraid so. I have been unable to locate anyone to take over your job since you left. April Curtis has refused my repeated requests and there have been no other qualified candidates for the job." He took one of her hands in his own while asking gently. "I would never, ever ask this of you if it wasn't important, Bonnie."

She sighed and stood up, taking the basket with her to the bedroom. She returned a moment later with her hands empty. "Devon, I can't go back. It's not that I don't want to help, because believe me, I do."

He nodded. "Of course. It's Michael, isn't it?"

She sank back into her chair, one hand resting on her extruding belly. "Yes, Devon. It's Michael. I don't think I could face him. Not now, not ever."

Devon steepled his hands in front of him and wished he could erase the pain he saw in Bonnie's eyes. "Bonnie, I know you are quite determined when you want to be. However I do think in this case you may be overreacting. Michael does love you. He was just confused about the whole situation."

"Devon! I thought you were on my side of this." Her face registered shock at his pronouncement. "If Michael loves me so much, why hasn't he found me yet? I'm not that hard to track down. Why hasn't he shown up to tell me himself?" Her eyes flashed angrily at her former boss.

"Because, my dear Bonnie, I have been stopping him." She started to say something but he stopped her. "I have had him out on mission after mission, keeping him hard pressed for free time to look for you. As a result, Kitt is suffering, and with no one to repair his systems, he is breaking down. At last check he was down to 55 of normal operating capacity." He sighed and rested his hands on his lap. "I can't keep sending them out in that condition, and I don't know how much longer I will be able to protect your privacy."

Bonnie digested this bit of information. Devon had been protecting her? She had asked for privacy but she really hadn't expected him to be able to keep to his word. Michael was very resourceful, and she had fully expected to have heard from him by now.

"Please, Bonnie, we need you. Kitt needs you, even if only until we can locate a suitable replacement." Devon cleared his throat and added, "If it's Michael you are worried about, I can make sure that only you have access to Bay 3. You will have complete privacy in that regard. Only people that you specify will be allowed in." He knew that making this statement would put him in a very sticky situation, for Michael would fight that condition. However the benefit to Kitt greatly outweighed any problems that would arise with Michael.

"I don't know, Devon." She said and stroked her belly absently. "I really need time to think before I decide."

"Oh, of course. Take the time you need. Michael will be gone on his current mission for at least another week." Devon smiled warmly at her. "Bonnie, I know you are due soon, and I do not wish to distress you in any way. If you do feel that you have to decline my offer, please feel free to say no. I won't hold it against you, my dear. Your health is of the utmost importance."

Bonnie couldn't help but smile back at him. "Thank you, Devon. I really do appreciate your concern. I promise I will think over your offer."

"Wonderful." Devon stated and stood. "You know how to reach me once you have made your decision."

Bonnie stood as well and walked Devon towards the front door. "Yes, Devon." She gave him another hug. "You have been so wonderful to me. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

Devon blushed slightly, a tad embarrassed over the way she was stressing his role in her life. He reached over and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek. "I only treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Take care, Bonnie. I hope to hear from you soon."

Bonnie nodded and watched him leave. She went back into her apartment alone and closed the door behind her. She had less than a week to decide. Sighing, she went to clean up the rest of the apartment. She would consider her options available and make her choice later. Right now, she wanted nothing more that a hot bath to ease the aches in her back and slightly swollen ankles and a very long nap.

Five days later she was no closer to making a decision than on the first day. As she walked through the public park she weighed her pros and cons for the situation very carefully. They always came out even.

She wanted to go back, yet the thought of having to deal with Michael, even inadvertently, was driving her crazy. She didn't know if she could look at him and see his cold blue eyes staring at her bloated midsection with disgust. She didn't think she could stand to hear the angry words he was bound to spew at her.

Part of her ached just to see him again, and part of her wanted nothing more to do with him. She was torn. She was settled here, well mostly settled, and she knew that if she left, she would probably end up having the baby in California. The thought of having Dr. Hunter deliver her child was definitely one of the pros in this mixed up equation. She definitely liked him more than the current doctor she had here.

She passed a playground filled with children, and anxious parents watching. The laughter rang in her ears, of children at play. She watched a father push his young daughter in a swing, a smile of pride on his face. Could Michael ever be like that?

She had to give Devon an answer soon, as Michael was due back at any time. Bonnie had used some of her connections she still had at the Foundation to tap into the databanks and get Kitt's current statistics. As of this morning, his resources had diminished to 43 of normal.

She felt a flash of anger towards Michael. Just what the hell was he doing out there that was so brutal to the car? How could he abuse Kitt that way? She felt herself slipping back into her 'ice princess' mode that she had used when she first met Michael all those years ago.

Dammit, dammit, dammit! She had come so far since that time. She didn't want to resort to those tactics again. What was she going to do?

She was going to have to do what she thought was best. She was a grown woman and beyond petty arguments. There was more at stake here than just hurt feelings. Kitt was hurting. Kitt needed her.

She would do it. She would do it for him. He deserved no less, for even though no one would say so, she believed he was as sentient as anyone alive today. He didn't deserve to suffer in any way.

She turned away from the park, her decision made. She would go home and call Devon and start packing. If she was lucky, he could get her a plane out of here today. By tonight she would be back in her old room at the FLAG mansion.

* * *


	8. Reconcilliations & Affirmations

* * *

Reconcilliations & Affirmations 

Eighth Month

_Hey, It's good to be back home again, yes it is,_

_Sometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friend_

_Yes 'n hey it's good to be back home again_

_Oh the time that I can lay this tired old body down_

_And feel your fingers feather soft upon me_

_The kisses that I live for, the love that lights my way_

_The happiness that livin' with you brings me_

_It's the sweetest thing I know of, just spending time with you_

_It's the little things that make a house a home._

_Like a fire softly burning, and supper on the stove_

_And the light in your eyes that makes me warm_

_Hey, It's good to be back home again, _

_Sometimes this old farm feels like a long lost friend_

_Yes 'n hey it's good to be back home again._

_I said Hey it's good to be back home again._

Bonnie placed her suitcase on the bed of her room in the mansion as the last strains of the John Denver song drifted out of the radio on the dresser.

Yes, in some ways, that was how she felt. It was good to be back home again. This was where she felt she did the most good, this was where she felt accepted.

She began to unpack, placing the clothes back into her dresser drawers. Kitt and Michael would be arriving in a few hours for the much needed tune up. Bonnie groaned when she thought of the amount of work ahead of her. It was a bound to be a monumental task. She had advised Devon to have a team of mechanics down there, ready to assist her once the car showed up. She already knew that she was going to have trouble reaching around her almost 8 months pregnant belly to calibrate some of the components.

Devon had agreed, and had called together some of the finest people she had ever worked with.

Bonnie had slipped upstairs to refresh herself before her long afternoon. Seeing how none of her jumpsuits were going to fit her now, she quickly showered and dressed in a comfortable pair of maternity jeans, a loose fitting blouse and a light sweater to top off the outfit. She fixed her hair, added a touch of makeup and smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Not bad for a fat lady.

She could do this. She could put her personal feelings aside. She was going to do her job, and she was going to do it right. With that thought firmly planted in her mind, she left her room and headed for the garage.

* * *

"No, no. Not there. The toolbox goes on the other workbench." Bonnie stated while pointing towards a workbench on the right side of the bay.

Two of the mechanics quickly hoisted the box and moved it to the spot where Bonnie wanted it. Bonnie nodded her approval and looked down to the clipboard she carried. She had donned a white lab coat and hastily pulled a pen from one of the pockets to check off a box.

They were rushing now. The Knight 2000 was overdue, and the computer readouts were showing that it was running now at a meager 20 of normal. Somehow it had sustained a high impact collision that had put a strain on the already overtaxed resources. Kitt would be fortunate to make it back in one piece.

"You and you," Bonnie called to two young techs as they passed her. "Get the two ton trolley jack ready." She spun around to another tech, his arms full of equipment. "Is that the digital storage oscilloscope?" He nodded and she checked off another box.

"Who has the graphing mulitmeter? We need it up front stat!" Bonnie hollered and waited for the appropriate tool to show up and be presented for inspection. She felt like a doctor, calling out orders and readying the room much like an experienced surgeon did prior to a major operation.

A loud crash had her spinning around just in time to see a box of sockets go flying to land with a clatter of spilled parts. She rolled her eyes at the mechanics who were now scrambling on the ground to pick them up. Good thing she didn't need to sterilize.

She placed her clipboard down on the bench and picked up the socket wrench to hand to one of the mechanics who shrugged sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay, just don't do it again." It was then that she heard the sound that had been missing from her life the past few months. The familiar turbine whine was right behind her and she could tell just from the sound that the car was straining.

Bonnie felt her blood grow cold and her breath catch in her chest. For a moment, she thought she might just go into premature labor right where she stood.

She closed her eyes and counted to 10 as the car pulled into the bay. The door opened and she heard his familiar boot steps ring out on the concrete. As she reached 10, she felt more in control. It was her choice to Devon to allow Michael into the bay. She didn't really think she would be able to keep him out anyway.

With a final breath in, she felt ready to start her job. She spun around and began barking orders, making techs and mechanics scatter like bowling pins. She turned back to grab her clipboard and found it pinned to the workbench by a masculine hand.

She steeled herself for what was going to come next. She had been expecting this and she was prepared. She slowly brought her eyes up to his face.

His face was ragged, unshaven and he looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep for at least a week. She could overlook his stubbled chin and cheeks but too look into those eyes would be looking for trouble.

"Bonnie," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Michael." She greeted him neutrally. She pulled at the clipboard and he lifted his hand.

"Bonnie, we need to talk." He said as he chased her over to where two of the techs were hooking Kitt up to a diagnostic machine.

"Michael, this is neither the time nor the place for such a discussion," she said coolly. "I have a patient that needs my immediate attention. If you'll excuse me, I'm in a bit of a rush."

Michael jumped back as she pushed past him. He had been prewarned by Devon not to upset Bonnie, but he had been unprepared for the depth of emotion he would feel when he saw her.

Every muscle in his body ached to hold her. His heart pounded against his ribcage as he watched her expertly instruct the techs on which systems to test first and which ones could wait. He had to bite his lip not to call out her name again; it took all his resolve not to interrupt her.

He longed to kiss her and feel her breath on his neck. He longed to touch her and make sure she was okay and the baby was fine. His eyes watered as he stood there, watching his love ignore him.

She hadn't looked at him at all, and he found her attitude a bit disconcerting. Didn't she miss him even the tiniest bit? Here he was being ripped apart just looking at her and she was treating him like a stranger. An observer. An intruder.

Unable to take it any longer, he turned from the scene and walked out of the garage, his long legs making the stride to the mansion no more than a short stroll. Two tears fell from his eyes but he ignored them.

Upon reaching the mansion, he disappeared inside.

Devon had been watching from his office window and he nodded. It was going to take time for them to work out their problems. He resolved himself not to interfere this time. If Bonnie needed him she would come to him.

Bonnie had watched him go and had sagged into Kitt's seat where she had been checking some of the readings. That had been one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. She had almost gotten up to run after him, but her duty to Kitt had kept her in her place.

She would worry about him later. Right now she had someone depending on her, and she wasn't going to let this one down.

* * *

Eight hours later, she moaned as she straightened up from one of the diagnostic machines. Her back was killing her and her muscles felt like they had been locked into positions that were never meant for the human body to experience.

Kitt was recovering. He was going to be just fine. She placed one hand on her back to counterbalance the weight in the front and groaned again as her weight shifted from one leg to the other.

God, she needed a chair, or a bed. Or just something to fall down on. Better yet she needed something to lean on just to keep her upright. She had forgotten how grueling and tiring working on the car could be. She felt her body sway with her exhaustion, and wondered who would pick her up if she fell. She had dismissed the mechanics an hour ago to grab a bite to eat and some rest, telling them she would be following after she hooked up the last of the cables.

Now, alone in the bay, she wished that at least one of them had stayed. She felt tired, dizzy, and unable to bear her weight any longer. Didn't that floor look so inviting?

She started to crumple towards the concrete and was surprised to find herself caught by a set of strong arms before her body could touch the cold surface.

She looked up to see Michael's concerned face hovering over her. _Gee, that's nice of him_, her overtired mind advised her. _At least he didn't let you whack your head._ That was her last coherent thought as blackness swept her away.

* * *

Bonnie opened her eyes slowly, feeling like they had been weighted down with lead. She felt the cool cotton of her pillowcase under her cheek. Her head was clearing of the fatigue she had felt.

She was in her room. How did she get here? She closed her eyes and tried to remember the last thing she could. They flashed open again. Michael had caught her.

Slowly she sat up in her bed, and noticed that her balcony door was open. His tall figure was silhouetted in the moonlight, his hands in his front pockets of his jeans. He didn't know she was awake. She kept her movements quiet as she watched him. She could just barely make out his face as he turned slightly, the moonlight briefly lighting his face, and she could see the streaks his tears had made.

He was crying? Over her? The whole scene seemed surreal, like one of her fantasies that she had of him really missing her. She had to still be dreaming. She almost believed it until she heard him sniff slightly and wipe his nose on his shirt sleeve. People didn't sniff in fantasies; their noses didn't drip and run.

Reaching over she plucked two tissues out of the box next to her bed and got up. She tiptoed over to the balcony, keeping her every movement quieter than Kitt's Silent Mode. When she was right behind him, she stuck her hand out and said in a very clear voice, "These will be much more use to you than your shirt."

His reaction was priceless. His whole body jumped as he spun around and nearly fell. Bonnie had to bite back a sudden case of giggles as his long legs seemed to tangle up in each other.

It took him a moment to recover his balance, and he just stared at her.

"Go on," she said, shaking the tissues at him. "Take them, they won't bite you."

He gently reached one hand out and cupped her hand in his own. As their skin touched, she saw two fresh tears slide slowly down his freshly shaven cheeks.

Her breath caught at the sight of his loss of control. She disentangled her hand and reached up on her own with the tissues to wipe the tears away. As a result, now she was off balance and falling towards him. He caught her again and sweeped her off her feet.

Lifting her like she was no heavier than a feather, he carried her back into the room and placed her gently back on the bed. He removed his arms from underneath her and cupped her head between his palms. "You need to be careful," he said, his voice husky. "I couldn't stand to see you get hurt."

As she lay there staring into his red-rimmed blue eyes, she felt something inside of her melting. She licked her lips slightly and tried to say something, anything at all, but found her voice strangely mute. It was as if a spell was being woven at that very moment, and she was unable to break it.

Michael however was not struck speechless. He followed her lead and licked his own lips, and whispered, "Oh god, Bonnie, I've missed you so much." His eyes closed and she could see him fighting a fresh wave of tears. He lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers. She could now feel his breath, warm on her face as he struggled to get more words out. "I'm so sorry, so very sorry, Bonnie."

Running on instinct, as all her higher senses seemed to have taken leave of her, she reached out one hand and rested it on his wet cheek. "Michael," she whispered back at him.

He turned his head slightly to kiss her palm. "Oh, Angel, can you ever forgive me? I love you so much, and I love our baby. I want our baby, Bonnie."

Those words were Bonnie's undoing. Her heart was hammering away, and if she didn't say or do something soon it was going to break free and make a hell of a mess on her sheets. She pushed his face back towards hers and did the only thing she could think of.

She kissed him.

Long and slow, like a dehydrated person tasting water for the first time, she drank him. She kissed him past the point of breathlessness, right up to the point of near suffocation. When she finally released him they were both gasping for air.

She gazed up at him, her chest heaving. "I love you too, Michael."

They passed the next hour or so just holding each other, kissing and hugging, each taking their fill of contact that had been denied for so long. Words were forgotten as they just caressed each other, and expressed a love that had been otherwise forgotten.

The night grew later and later, and it wasn't long before the young lovers were fast asleep in each other's arms.

Michael was the first one to wake the next morning. It was the scent of something flowery that grabbed his attention and brought him around. He found his head buried in Bonnie's silky hair, and it was that smell that he had noticed.

Her body was spooned up against his, her back warm against his bare chest. He barely remembered removing his clothing last night. She was clad in only a silky nightgown. He definitely did not remember her getting up to change. After she had 'welcomed' him home, he had fallen right to sleep.

His mind was still reeling from the events of the previous night. If it wasn't for the fact that she was nestled here in his arms, he would certainly think he had hallucinated it.

One of his arms was tucked under his head, and the other one was wrapped around her belly, holding her to him. He took a moment to observe how completely heavenly this was. He was with the woman he loved, and his hand was lying on their child. A child he had inadvertently created, but it did spring forth from their love.

He was just enjoying the feeling of her in his arms when something poked at the arm lying on her. His forehead creased, and he gently spread his fingers trying to feel it again.

Bonnie was stirring now, mumbling something incoherent.

Michael swallowed and tried to moisten his mouth enough to talk. "What did you say?" he asked her.

Bonnie chuckled a bit and spoke a bit more clearly. "I said, the baby is awake." She opened her big brown eyes and laughed at his look of total confusion. "Here, let me show you."

She lifted the nightgown to place his hand on the spot of her abdomen where she had felt the baby kick. "Give it a minute," she told him.

It was less than thirty seconds before a tiny foot or fist punched at the spot and the hand covering it. Bonnie watched as Michael's face lit up with joy.

"It kicked me!" His face was animated, and he sat there, unwilling to move his hand at all. "Look, Bonnie, it's kicking me!"

She laughed. "The baby does that to ME all day long."

His eyes went from her stomach to her face. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"Nah, actually it's quite nice." She smiled at him. "Did you sleep well?"

He grinned and kissed her soundly. "Like a baby." He settled his body back next to her. "Have I told you just how much I love you, Bonnie?"

She sighed a contented sigh. "About a million times last night, in between moans and gasps of pleasure."

He blushed. "If I recall, you were pretty noisy yourself." He got a pillow in the face for his remark and then a very tight hug.

"Well that's what you get when you get me started." She rolled over a bit to face him. Her face suddenly turned serious. "Michael, even though last night was enjoyable, we still have a lot to talk about."

He traced her cheek with one finger. "Yes, Bonnie, we do."

She pulled his hand away from her face. "I'm serious, Michael. You hurt me badly and it is going to take a lot of effort for me to regain my trust in you."

He let that statement stand for a moment. His eyes searched her face and he said quietly, "I'll do whatever it takes, Angel. I never want to hurt you again. Without you, I'm empty. You fill a void in my life, you make me whole." He placed a kiss on her lips. "I am so sorry, Bonnie."

She scooted closer to him and allowed his body to entwine with hers. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat.

He stroked her hair, letting the silky strands slide through his fingers. Somehow, he would make this work. He was given a second chance to love, and he would do anything at all to prove his love to her.

* * *


	9. Imminent Arrival

Imminent Arrival

Ninth Month

Michael shivered as he climbed into the warmth of Kitt. The outside temperature had been steadily decreasing as the sun sank below the horizon. He was used to the California winters now, but sometimes the chill caught him unawares.

It was three weeks until Christmas, and he was as happy as he could ever be. He had gotten his Thanksgiving wish when Bonnie had returned home to FLAG to stay. He knew she was now only about two weeks from delivery, so he was expecting an early Christmas present as well.

It was hard at times, since her return, for them to be totally honest with each other. He could still see some residual hurt in her eyes when she looked at him, but he was willing to put forth the extra effort necessary and show her just how much she meant to him. He had taken to pampering her to the point where she was starting to feel spoiled.

He now placed the packages he had been carrying on the passenger seat and reached over to close his door. "Brrrrr." He stated as he rubbed at his leather-jacketed arms. "It's cold out there."

"Well, if you had done the shopping earlier, you wouldn't be feeling the cold now," Kitt replied with a touch of humor. "You would probably be back at the Foundation, inside its warm depths."

Michael started up the car. "Well, be glad you can't feel the cold." He pressed a button and the heater came on. Warm air flooded the compartment and he sighed.

"What makes you think I can't?" Kitt asked, a bit annoyed that Michael could casually dismiss the fact that he had taken Kitt out from a warm garage. "You're not the one who travels at some 60 miles per hour in the aforementioned frigid air."

Michael held back his grin, keeping a straight face he answered. "Well, buddy, think of it this way. What I bought Bonnie in those packages will be well worth any discomfort that either of us has had to go thorough." He shifted the car into reverse and backed away from the specialty baby store that he had made a special trip to. His order that he had placed two weeks ago had finally come in.

"Speaking of Bonnie, Michael has she picked out a name for the baby yet?" Kitt questioned as Michael put the car into drive and floored the pedal.

Now Michael let his smile show. "Actually, Kitt, we have. If the baby is a boy it will be named Daniel Robert Knight. If it is a girl, we were thinking of calling her either Charlene, Rebecca or Patricia with the middle name of Danielle and the last name of Knight."

Kitt stayed silent a moment as he placed this information in his data banks. He noticed a discrepancy and was curious. "Michael, if those are the names you have chosen, why does the baby not carry Bonnie's last name? Is it customary to give the baby of an unwed mother the father's last name?"

"Well, Kitt, we decided that it would be easier to give the baby the name now, and later, if we decide to marry we won't have to change the name." Michael said gently. The actual topic had been much debated and discussed.

"Forgive my abruptness, Michael," Kitt apologized. "But have you actually asked her to marry you?" He scanned all his previous data but could not come up with such an actual instance. "In fact, I don't recall you ever telling me that you considered the possibility."

"No, Kitt," Michael sighed his reply. "I never actually asked her." He didn't bother to elaborate his answer any further than that.

Sensing that Michael wished to keep the rest of his feelings to himself, Kitt focused on the highway outside. That soon bored him and he kept coming back to the fact that if Michael loved Bonnie so much, why did he not take the final step and ask her to be his wife? Was it because of Stephanie Mason? Was it because his first marriage had barely begun before he was made a widower? Kitt had so many questions to ask, but knew this was not the time to ask them.

Michael reached over and touched the package on the seat. What he had previously thought to be the perfect gift now seemed to be only a token. What if Bonnie really was unhappy with their decision to name the baby with his last name just to avoid problems later? He had noticed the light in her eyes was not as bright as it could have been at the idea.

Was she hoping for him to ask her to marry him before the baby was born? More importantly, did he love her enough to make that final commitment? Ever since Stevie's death, the prospect of marriage had frightened him. He didn't want to take that final step ever again. Or did he?

He needed time to think, now that Kitt had brought up the subject. He needed time to decide, and time was the one thing he was certainly running out of.

* * *

Bonnie was sitting in the main lab area, going over a checklist of things that needed to be done on Kitt while she would be in the hospital for the duration of her stay. She knew the techs and mechanics could manage this much without her.

Certain things needed to be done daily, such as refreshing his fuel supply and checking and recharging his power boosters. Other things could be done every other day, such as checking his alpha and beta circuits.

She didn't really know how long she would be gone, and she wanted Kitt to be taken care of completely in her absence. She smiled at the thought, here she was about to become a mother and it seemed like she already was one to Kitt.

Her hand drifted down to her swollen belly and rested there. She was ready now, more than ready to have this baby. The Lamaze classes she had been taking had prepared her enough for what was going to happen, and she was confident that Michael could coach her well enough for her to be able to manage the pain.

The first time he had shown up at the class, she had been delighted to know that she was important enough to him for him to be there to support her. He had listened well, and had helped her practice her breathing techniques to the point that they worked enough to relax her.

Oh she was ready now. Devon had turned the room next to hers into a nursery, and had even flown her stuff in from where she had abandoned it in her race to get back to FLAG. He had even helped her set up a nursery in her own apartment, should she desire to return there. Either way, the baby was well set for the next year of it's life.

Still, something was gnawing at her, and she felt incomplete and restless. With all the preparing she had been doing, she still felt like something was left out. Something important. She went over her mental list again. Kitt was going to be taken care of, so that left him out. The baby was prepared for, everything from diapers to clothes to bottles for the times when she would be unable to nurse the baby. That left that out. All her bills were paid, so that left them out.

Why did she feel this way? What was she missing? She frowned as she clutched the notepad in her hand. It had to be something stupid, or else it would be the first thing on her mind. She made a few more scribbled notes for the techs then capped her pen and placed both of them right by Kitt's main charts where they would not be missed.

The rest of her thoughts were dismissed as she heard the familiar turbine whine of Kitt's engine. The garage door opened and she could see him pull into bay 3 from her vantage point in the lab office. She had been wondering where Michael had taken off to in a rush earlier and now she was about to find out. She hoisted herself out of the chair with some effort and walked out to greet him. Waddled, was more like it. She felt her back twinge and reached behind herself to rub at an ache. Oh she was ready for this baby.

Michael was retrieving some packages from the front seat as she walked up to him. He closed the car door with his hip and smiled warmly at her. "Hi, Love." He placed the packages down on the roof of the car and reached for her.

She took his hand and allowed herself to fall into his warm embrace. He hugged her once, then bent down and kissed her deeply. She relished in the feel of his lips on hers, then broke the kiss, as her curiosity got the best of her. "Where did you go in such a hurry?" Her eyes darted from his face to the gifts on the roof.

He followed her gaze. "Oh, I had to pick a little something up. You wouldn't be curious by any chance, would you?" His eyes sparkled as he teased her. "You don't think these are for you, do you?"

"Oh, Michael, cut it out or I might have to get jealous and think you've got a secret lover you are not telling me about." She pretended to huff her reply. "Someone skinny and blonde and has legs that are tan and go all the way up to her neck." She made a rising motion with one hand as it reached above her head.

Michael rolled his eyes at the image she was presenting. "Nuh, uh. No long legs or blonde hair for this man." He kissed her briefly again then stepped back from her to grab the first package. "Now if you are a good girl, this one is for you." He teased her again and held it out in front of him.

She reached for it and was surprised to find it pulled back by him. "Michael?"

"Are you a good girl?" Mischief filled his face as he kept the box just out of her reach.

She jumped for the box and felt the edge of it brush her fingers. "I'm a good girl, but I'm gonna be bad if you don't let me see that box!" She had glimpsed the logo on the box and knew that it was from the specialty baby store that carried everything a new mother might need. What could Michael have possibly thought of that she hadn't?

"Ok, Sweetheart." He handed over the box and leaned against Kitt to better observe her reaction.

Bonnie placed the box on Kitt's hood as she slid her fingers up underneath it and lifted the cover off. Nestled within the tissue paper wrapping she found something soft and silky and a light shade of pink. She reached for the fabric and pulled out one of the most exquisite nightgowns she had ever seen. It was designed for a new mother, with strategically placed slits for nursing and trimmed in tiny satin rosebuds and lace. The bottom of the box also held a matching robe.

Her face lit up. "Oh, Michael! It's beautiful!" With all the preparing she had done for the baby, she had neglected to consider some of the things she might need.

Michael grinned as he fingered the fabric. "It's for those nights, when you want to be a mother and a lover. Sexy and sweet all rolled into one, just like the woman it was designed for."

Bonnie blushed a bit. "You are so transparent, Michael. I'll be surprised if this baby doesn't end up with a whole slew of brothers and sisters within ten years." She carefully folded the garments and placed them back into the box. "They are lovely, thank you." She reached over and kissed him deeply.

"Wow," he stated when she broke the kiss. "If that's the thanks I'm gonna get for that gift, I can't wait to see what I get for this one." Michael breathed as he reached for the other package. He didn't bother to tease her with it but just handed it to her. "This is to show you how much you and the baby mean to me."

She opened the box the same as the other one and what she found this time nestled in the tissue paper made her eyes well up with tears. She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself speechless. Inside the box was something very soft, warm and white. A baby blanket.

It looked like it had been spun from clouds, it was that soft, and on one corner it was embroidered with thick yellow flowing script. 'Heavenly Knight' was printed boldly in large letters. Underneath it was a small phrase. 'Heaven created and sent to this world to love.'

Bonnie traced each letter with one finger. This was the most touching of all her baby gifts she had ever received. She finally managed to find her voice. "Oh, Michael, I don't know what to say."

He placed one finger over her mouth to stop her from speaking. "Then don't say anything. The look in your eyes is plenty enough for me." He pointed to a space on one of the other corners of the blanket. "Once the baby is born, we can have the name and date embroidered on this corner in the same script."

She pulled Michael into a big hug and squeezed him as much as she was able. "Thank you, Michael."

"You're welcome. Come, let's go inside and you can thank me more in the room." He winked at her and got a small slap for his efforts.

She grabbed her boxes and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Men." Then she took his hand and let him lead her inside.

* * *

One week later

Bonnie sighed peacefully as she relaxed into Kitt's seat. Her latest visit to the doctor today had given them a good hope that the baby would be arriving shortly. Dr. Hunter had predicted that she would go into labor sometime within the next week.

That suited her just fine. She looked over to where Michael was sitting and driving and smiled. "Are you ready to become a daddy now?"

Michael had caught only the tail end of the sentence and the first think that registered in his mind was the words 'daddy, now.' He gulped. "Now, Bonnie?"

"No, silly." She giggled and rested her hand on her belly. "Not right now, but really soon."

He leaned over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "Yes, I am."

"Good." She agreed and rubbed over her belly with one hand. "Because I'm more than ready to get this out of me. I'm tired of feeling like I have to pee all the time and my ankles being swollen and.."

Michael was saved from having to hear any more of what Bonnie was tired of by Kitt's familiar voice. "Excuse me, Michael, Bonnie, but Devon is calling."

Michael made a face at that news. Devon calling was never anything good. "Put him through, Kitt." He pressed a few buttons and Devon's face appeared on one of the monitors. "Yo, Devon."

"Michael, I'm sorry to intrude on your private time, but I need your help."

"What do you need?" Michael looked over to Bonnie, hoping it was nothing that was going to be considered even remotely dangerous.

"I need you to pick up someone and bring them to the Foundation." Devon stated as he rifled through a stack of papers sitting on his desk. "He needs to be picked up now, as he has just decided to turn state's witness. Do you remember the last case you just finished up?"

Michael groaned. "Yes, Devon. Don't tell me. You want me to get..."

Devon nodded. "Charley Simons. I know, I know, you had enough of him before." He stated with a soft sigh. "The man can't help it if he likes to talk, Michael."

"Talk? Devon that man doesn't come with an off switch. Can't you send a cab for him?" Michael made another face. "I've got Bonnie with me, Devon, and I need to bring her home."

"Michael, he needs to be picked up now. If the people he's turned against get wind that he is going to be pressing charges, it could get rather messy. I'd like to keep it as clean as possible."

Michael made one last try to get out of the assignment. "Come on, Devon. What am I supposed to do with Bonnie? I'm not going to just leave her on the side of the road and there is no place to drop her off here."

Devon smiled. "Think of it as a nice drive and a break from sitting around the mansion all the time. Just pick up Mr. Simons and bring him here."

"Yeah right." Michael grumbled, his previous good mood gone now. "Send the location to Kitt, we'll play taxi." He then pressed the buttons to disconnect the call. "Well, it looks like you aren't going home right now," he stated glumly as he turned to look at Bonnie.

"It's okay, Michael. I could use the change of scenery."

"Not once you meet Charley. You'll wish you were deaf."

"I have the coordinates, Michael," Kitt stated. "Shall I plot a course?"

"Yes, and make it the quickest one you can find." He growled. "I want to pick this guy up and have him in Devon's waiting arms as soon as possible."

Bonnie just laughed. "How bad can he be?"

* * *

Bonnie soon found out how bad Charley could be. They had made it to his location within two hours and had picked the man up. Five minutes after he had climbed into Kitt's back seat Bonnie was wishing she could open the door and jump out. The short and stocky man with slightly balding hair just didn't know when to stop talking.

It didn't matter that no one was answering him, like the proverbial Energizer bunny, he kept going, and going, and going...

"So you see," he said to no one in particular, "there I was, in the office, shifting through the papers, when I came across the ones that are going to put Mr. Hockney in trouble, BIG TIME! Oh yes sir! He's going to wish he never met me! I'm going to take those papers and..."

Bonnie had a brief flash of what he could do with his papers but didn't say so, as her mother had always taught her to be polite.

Still he didn't stop. Bonnie was beginning to wonder if he ever came up for air. "And then, I called Devon, because I knew he would want to see the papers." He patted the briefcase he was clutching. "These papers are going to free me, and give me a new life. I'm going to have a fresh new start, and a new chance to meet new people..."

Bonnie tried to ignore the chatter behind her. How much longer before they got rid of him? She glanced over to Michael who was also looking pained at the constant stream of useless prattle. He simply shrugged and mouthed, 'soon' to her.

Kitt was the one who finally broke into the man's endless chat. "Michael, I do believe we are being followed."

That shut Charley up long enough for Michael to turn around in the seat and see a white sedan tailing them. "This is not good. Kitt, how long have they been back there?"

"6.2 miles, Michael." Kitt responded.

He bit his lip. They couldn't let Charley be found, no matter how much they wanted to throw him out of the car. They needed him to break this last case wide open. Without his papers, they would have no evidence against his boss for embezzlement and theft of government funds. "Hang on, Bonnie. Things might get a little bit rough."

He floored the gas pedal as much as he dared to and they pulled away from the sedan. Still it didn't give up and continued to follow them. If anything, it speeded up as well. "Kitt, give me a visual of the area and overlay it with the most recent map."

Charley was now looking out the back window and his chattering had started up again. "Mr. Knight, I don't think you should let them get me, for with the papers I have, I could be in some serious trouble..."

Bonnie moaned and covered her eyes with one hand. She was getting a headache.

Kitt brought up the map and the visuals that were asked for. "Here you go, Michael. If you will notice there is a turn off just up the road, and you might be able to lose them if you take it and..."

Bonnie glanced out the window at the rush of trees passing by. All she wanted to do was get into a nice soft bed and rest for the remainder of the day.

"Hold on!" Michael suddenly barked and they made a very sharp right hand turn that had Bonnie grabbing at the armrest of the door. Charley was flung sideways and slid across the back seat.

The turn led them on a dirt road, loaded with brush and Bonnie could tell that it was seldom used. The terrain was as rough as any she had ever been on and even with Kitt's wonderful suspension; she was still tossed around like a rag in a clothes dryer. She was grateful for the laser restraints that held her to her seat, but she still longed for the old fashioned seatbelts that most cars had. She held on as much as she was able.

Charley in the back didn't miss a beat. "Whoa, Mr. Knight this is some road you have found. I haven't seen anything like this since I was a kid and used to take my bike and ride over dirt hills in the old empty lot behind the house. You see they were building a shopping center back then and the dirt would be piled up so high..."

Bonnie refrained from making a rude comment about the dirt; she was too busy trying to hold on to her lunch as Kitt rolled over another rocky patch of ground. Michael was also busy trying to keep control of the car and keep his passengers somewhat seated properly. He was nibbling at his lower lip as he rounded a tight bend in the road.

"Kitt, are you sure this is a road? It appears to be taking us nowhere and it's not deterring our pursuers any."

"Yes, Michael." Kitt replied indignantly. "In another mile you will connect with the main highway. As to our pursuers, well, I've found a way to stop them from following us."

Michael glanced once at Bonnie and then to the back at Charley who was still babbling on to no one in particular. He focused his attention back to the road. "And just what might that be?"

Bonnie's eyes widened as she saw what Kitt had planned. Up in front, blocking the road was a very large tree trunk. It had fallen so that the only way past it would be to climb over it. Or fly. She immediately knew what Kitt was expecting Michael to do. Her eyes closed and she began chanting a small prayer as she grabbed on to anything she could.

Michael saw the tree at the same time as Bonnie. His reaction was much different as he mentally calculated the point where he would have to press the Turbo Boost. "Next time, give me more warning, Pal." He ordered then pressed the button on the switchpod.

Kitt rose up in the air, pressing all three passengers into their seats as he literally flew over the fallen tree like a graceful cat just bounding away. The sedan that had been following them was forced to slam on its brakes and slid, stopping just short of the tree.

Kitt landed with a loud thump and a very large bump as all three people were thrown forward from the impact. Bonnie cried out at the landing, and for once, Charley was silent. Michael checked to make sure they were not being followed any more then pulled the car over to the side of the dirt road. They were far enough down the road that even if the guys in the sedan were to get out on foot they would have to walk quite a bit to reach them.

He was more worried about Bonnie, for she had leaned forward when the car had landed and still had not straightened up. He reached out one hand to touch her. "Bonnie? Are you okay?"

He heard a small cry and she finally sat up. He started to let out a relieved sigh, but upon seeing her face, he immediately got worried again. "What's wrong, Sweetheart?"

"Michael, we have a problem." All the color had left her face when Kitt had boosted into the air. The landing had an unfortunate effect on her. At the same time the wheels had touched down she had felt an enormous wetness run down her legs. At first thought she had imagined she had wet herself from the fear of the whole Turbo Boosting thing, but the amount of water that had soaked her clothing and the seat beneath her made her realize just what had happened.

She now was facing Michael's worried face. "My water broke." She moved her arms to show him her now soaked pants.

Michael looked from her soiled clothing to her face. He reacted immediately by starting the car back up. "Kitt, I need the fastest route to the nearest hospital."

Kitt plotted a course on one monitor. "Michael, the nearest hospital is over two hours away."

Michael looked in disbelief at the dashboard. "Kitt, that's almost all the way back to FLAG. Isn't there one closer?"

"No, Michael. Because we are located in the middle of nowhere, as you like to call this stretch of wilderness that you have brought us to, there are no hospitals out here." Kitt replied haughtily. "I'm a car, not an ambulance."

"Well, let's not waste any more time, let's go." Michael stepped on the pedal and pulled back out onto the dirt road.

Bonnie placed one hand on his arm as he steered the car. "It's okay, Michael. I've head that first babies can take hours to arrive."

"Let's hope so," Michael said somberly. "Let's hope this one takes its sweet time."

She nodded and relaxed back into the seat. _Might as well get comfortable,_ she thought.

Both of them had forgotten about Charley, who was now eyeing them with wide eyes. "Is she going to have the baby here? In the car? Right now?"

"Not if I can do anything about it." Michael said and floored the pedal again. The dirt road finally connected with more familiar blacktop and he sighed. At least on the solid pavement they could travel a bit faster. He reached out a hand to touch Bonnie's shoulder. "Are you feeling any contractions yet?"

She nodded. "A bit. I think. I've never felt them before, so I'm not really sure." Her hands were resting over her stomach and rubbing it gently. "It's okay, Michael. I think we are going to be fine."

"Okay, you just rest and relax. I'll get you to the hospital in time." He gave her another gentle squeeze and then reached up to press a few of the overhead buttons. "Kitt, place a call to Dr. Hunter and have him meet us at the hospital. Advise him that Bonnie is in labor and will be arriving shortly."

"Yes, Michael." Kitt stated and immediately placed the call.

Charley had finally realized that silence was a better part of virtue. He was now sitting quietly in the back seat, clutching his briefcase and saying nothing. He had run out of things to say upon seeing Bonnie's more pressing problem.

Bonnie closed her eyes and allowed the motion of the car to soothe her. She would be fine. The baby would be fine. Everything would be fine.

* * *

Forty minutes later, she was doubting her previous assessment. Her contractions had starting coming at a more regular pace and they were getting stronger. She began to moan as each one approached.

Michael had turned control of the car over to Kitt and was now holding Bonnie's hand and helping her to breathe through them like they had been taught. He was very much worried and didn't know what to do. When he had been a police officer so many years ago, he had taken the basic first aid course but that training didn't include delivering a baby on the side of the road.

He knew Kitt was traveling as fast as he could possibly go without jostling his passengers any further and causing Bonnie any more discomfort. He wished that they had more room in the car, for he could see that the position Bonnie was in was not helping her contractions any. He didn't dare have Kitt stop the car, not even for Bonnie to slide into the back seat. He was afraid that if he got her back there, they would have trouble getting her out once they reached the hospital.

Bonnie was moaning again and clutching at her stomach. "Michael," she winced and squeezed his hand. "It hurts."

"I know, love, I know." He let her squeeze him as much as she needed to. With one hand he caressed her stomach, hoping that the motion would help her relax. "Just breathe through them, just like we practiced. Deep breath in, and count to three and let it out slowly."

She nodded and obeyed and when the contraction was over, she sagged back into the seat. Her hair was starting to get matted from sweating in the car and Michael wished he had a towel to wipe her brow off. He settled for brushing the sweaty strands from her face. "Is it over?" he asked her and she nodded again.

He sagged back into his seat, grateful for a minute to think and rest. He knew that Bonnie was running close now. This was not how he had pictured the birth going. He looked over to where she was resting and sighed. He was pretty sure this was not the way she had wanted it either. After another minute or so she moaned lightly and Michael asked, "Kitt, how far apart are the contractions?"

"Closer than you want them to be. They are four minutes and thirty seconds apart." Kitt replied. "When they reach a minute apart, that usually signifies the final stages of labor and the delivery begins."

"Wonderful," Michael muttered and reached over to take Bonnie's hand again. "How much longer until we reach the hospital?"

Kitt paused as he calculated then said softly. "Not soon enough. About another hour, Michael. I have increased speed by 10 but that is as fast as I think we can safely travel."

"Thanks, buddy." Michael wiped at Bonnie's brow again with his hand and sighed. She was moaning about being hot and he knew that it didn't have anything to do with the internal temperature of the car. He wiped his hand on his jeans and then squeezed her hand as the next contraction began. "Take a deep breath in."

Bonnie was tired of trying to breathe. She was miserable sitting up, she wanted to lie down or squat or anything else besides sit. This was making her back ache worse than she had ever felt. "Michael," she huffed his name as the contraction built. "We need," she puffed again. "To stop the car." This last bit was said as she gripped his hand in a vise-like maneuver. "This baby isn't going to wait." The sentence was groaned out as the contraction peaked and then declined. She took a few slow breaths and then nearly passed out.

"No, Bonnie, we can't stop now." Michael said gently while reaching up to take her face in his hands. "We have no supplies here, no blankets, no towels, nothing. If we stop now, and the baby is born, I don't know if it can survive." She mumbled something and Michael had to keep her focused on him. "Bonnie, listen to me, you can do this. First children take a while to come. We are gonna make it, do you hear me? Just breathe through them."

"Ok," she panted and closed her eyes to rest.

Charley was watching all this with wide-eyed wonder. Michael had almost forgotten that he was even in the car, it had become so quiet. Now he reached timidly into his pants pocket and withdrew a folded linen square which he reached forward and handed to Michael. "Here, you might want to use this to wipe her face."

Michael took the cloth handkerchief gratefully and flicked it open with a swish of his wrist. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He said with a smile. "It's the least I can do to help."

Bonnie was moaning again and Michael couldn't believe that almost five minutes had passed since the last one. _Boy time does fly when you are having fun,_ he thought to himself. He gripped her hand and began instructing her to breathe again.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Bonnie was about to rip Michael into two pieces. The contractions were coming on a regular basis and they were strong. She had begun to feel the urge to bear down, but for the moment, it was easily resisted. She knew it wouldn't be long now. All she could focus on for the moment was the sharp pain that each contraction peaked into before finally leveling out and giving her a minute or two to rest.

"Michael," she panted. "I think the baby is coming now." All she wanted to do was get it out of her body and be rid of this intense pain.

Michael glanced at the dash monitor where the map was showing their route. "Hang on a bit longer, we are almost there." It was true. In another fifteen minutes they would be pulling up to the hospital doors. He wiped at her brow with the now soggy handkerchief. "Hang in there, love."

Bonnie nodded at the same time she took in another breath of air. "Oh no, not again!" One hand reached for Michael, while the other one gripped the dash so hard she was leaving nail marks in the vinyl. "Oh, god, Michael!"

"Breathe, Bonnie, come on, girl, and breathe through it." He focused his blue eyes on her face, forcing her to center on him. "Come on, focus and breathe. Don't push. Not yet."

Charley was fidgeting in the back seat, getting really nervous that a baby was going to be born in the car and somehow he thought it might be his fault. He wanted to help, but he knew that there was nothing that he could do. Just like Michael, he was helpless in this situation.

Bonnie panted and huffed and was losing her focus. It just hurt so bad, and it was like someone was trying to rip her insides out. She wanted pain meds, she wanted a soft bed, she wanted the hell out of this car. "Damn it, Michael!" she screamed. "I can't breathe anymore. It's not helping me any!" She slammed her hands at the car door. "Stop the car and let me out! I've gotta get out!"

Michael reached for her hands and held them down. He knew Kitt would not allow the door to be opened at any speed, but he didn't exactly know what Bonnie was capable of right now. "Sweetheart, we are almost there. Just a little bit longer."

"I want out! I want this baby out!" Bonnie panted as she yelled. "Not again!" The next contraction started and she began to scream. "OW!! OWW!! MICHAELLLLL!!!"

Michael himself was ready to put his fist through a window. He didn't know what else to try, as the breathing was not working anymore. He ran one hand through his curly hair and tried not to pull it out. "Bonnie, hang in there." He was relieved to see that they were entering the city now. It would be only minutes until they got to the hospital.

And those minutes passed quickly, for the next thing he knew, Kitt was pulling into the Emergency entrance. He hopped out as soon as the car stopped and ran inside to get a wheelchair and one of the on-duty nurses. He came back out less than a minute later wheeling the chair in front of him.

He opened Bonnie's door, and helped her into the chair. She was still screaming and yelling now about how she hated the pain and wanted it to just stop. Just as he was wheeling her into the entrance, he glimpsed Devon's worried face in the waiting room. With a quick nod towards Kitt, he let the other man know that Charley was still outside.

He then let the nurse lead him and Bonnie towards the elevator and up to the delivery room.

* * *

Kitt waited until everyone had taken their attention off of him and had left him alone before pulling quietly away from the Emergency entrance and finding an unoccupied parking space. Once he was settled, he used his scanner to tap into the hospital's records and find out which room Bonnie was going to be taken to. Then he tapped into the hospital's closed circuit cameras.

Bonnie had discussed this with him previously, she had told him to video tape the birth, and then if she wanted a copy of it, she could ask. If she changed her mind and wanted no one to have a copy, then she would have him delete it. At least then she wouldn't have a missed opportunity.

Kitt watched as they prepared Bonnie by stripping off her soiled clothes and putting her in a hospital gown. He also watched as they dressed Michael by putting a gown over his clothes. He had removed his jacket and was now wearing a surgical mask that dangled down untied, gloves, and the gown. He also had a hospital cap covering his brown locks. Kitt took a still picture to show Bonnie later. He was sure she would get a chuckle out of it.

Bonnie was prepped quickly and placed on the delivery bed. She had lost control of most of her reactions and was mostly yelling, and sobbing.

This bothered Kitt, for he had never seen her so out of control in his entire existence. He cared deeply about the people he worked with and seeing Bonnie so miserable was hard for him to understand. She always took care of him, had put him back together many times, almost from scratch and here she was- in the most pain possible and he could only watch.

He beeped Michael's comlink once and was relieved to get the man on the other side of the link. "What is it, Kitt?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I have the video set up, just like Bonnie planned. I'm hooked into the hospital cameras." Kitt advised his partner. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"No, Kitt. There is very little I can do at this point except wait." Michael responded with a note of worry in his voice.

"I'll be right here if you need me, Michael. Please tell Bonnie that I'm here for her as well."

"Thanks, pal. We appreciate it." Michael said as he signed off.

Now there was nothing left to do but let the video run and wait. Kitt turned off all non-essential systems and focused most of his processing power towards the video. He was going to witness the miracle of birth, the birth of a child that came from the love of the two people who meant the most to him and he wasn't going to miss a minute of it.

* * *

Bonnie was relieved when they finally had her laying down in the hospital bed. Nothing had felt more welcome to her aching back than being put up on the cold and stiff sheets. She had been prepped with an IV and was now left to labor on the bed. Michael was by her side, holding her hand and looking very worried.

She didn't have much time to concern herself with him as the doctor was now finishing up with his internal exam and smiling happily. Bonnie could feel the start of another contraction and tried to re-focus on her breathing techniques. The nurse by her side was helping her as was Michael. When the contraction peaked and then went away she was able to concentrate on what Dr. Hunter was saying.

"You are fully dilated and effaced. When you feel the urge to push, you can go right ahead and start. It seems that the car ride helped speed the labor up." He explained. "We are going to have ourselves a baby shortly."

Bonnie squeezed the hand she had been holding and her eyes swung up to meet Michael's. He looked ready to start crying, or laughing or possibly both. This was it, now or never. She felt the beginning of another contraction and with it, an urge to bear down hard. "Can I push?" she asked as she puffed out a breath of air.

"Go ahead," Dr. Hunter encouraged. "Give it all you got."

Michael helped Bonnie to sit up as she bore down as much as she was able. God that felt good! The contraction started to end and she leaned back against Michael, who was now sitting behind her on the bed for support. He was rubbing her lower back and that counter-pressure felt wonderful.

"Good job," he whispered in her ear. "You keep that up and we are going to be parents very soon," He then kissed her sweaty forehead and moved the hair away from her face.

"I love you, Michael," she managed to say just before the next contraction hit. This one was like a freight train slamming into her middle. She screwed her face up and put all her concentration into moving this baby out of her body and into the new world. Her hands were gripped tightly in Michael's as he gave her all his own strength through the connection.

"Push, Bonnie, push." He cheered her efforts on.

"The head is crowning," Dr. Hunter stated. "A few more good pushes and it will all be over with."

Bonnie felt the contraction ending and took a small breath of air. She barely had time to lay back before the next one hit her. She pulled herself up and pushed for all she was worth. "Out, out, out," she chanted as she gave in to the urges in her body.

It only took two more contractions before Dr. Hunter smiled and said loudly, "The head is out! One more solid push and your baby will be here!"

Michael and Bonnie were both watching the birth in the mirror that was hanging above the bed. He was amazed at just how wonderful this all was. His baby was being born. Another contraction started and he lifted Bonnie up a bit as she pushed with all her energy.

There was a loud splooshing sound and then a loud wail as the newborn entered the world. Bonnie sagged weakly into Michael's arms and he broke down and sobbed into her exhausted embrace. "That's our baby," he said. "Our baby."

The baby was wrapped in a blanket and placed on Bonnie's chest. "Congratulations," Dr. Hunter announced. "It's a girl."

Michael reached over and touched the top of the dark-haired infant gently. "Hello, darling. I'm your daddy." Tears were still running down his face as he greeted the new life he had helped create.

Bonnie cradled the baby to her chest. "Hello, Angel. So you're the one that's been kicking me night and day."

The nurse came and picked up the newborn. "I need to weigh her and wrap her up. I'll bring her right back."

Dr. Hunter then held up a small pair of scissors. "Mr. Knight, would you like to cut the cord?"

Michael nodded. "I'd love to." He gave Bonnie a big kiss and moved off the bed so she could rest.

The nurse helped deliver the afterbirth while Dr. Hunter tied off the umbilical cord and showed Michael where to cut. It only took a small snip and then baby was separate from mom for the first time in nine long months.

The baby was cleaned up and weighed, then a hat was put on her head. They took her footprints and put on a bracelet to match the one Bonnie was wearing. Finally they wrapped her in a blanket and brought her back to Bonnie's waiting arms.

"You can try to nurse her now," Bonnie was told. She looked at the small bundle in her arms and smiled. "Michael, she is so beautiful."

"Just like her mom." Michael said as he perched on the edge of Bonnie's bed. "Good job, Bonnie. You did great. I love you."

"I love you, Michael," Bonnie said and kissed him deeply. Then she brought the baby to her breast for the first meal.

* * *

Michael waked out of the delivery room with his surgical cap in his now ungloved hands. Devon immediately stood up and walked over to meet him. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's fine, Devon." Michael said with a grin. "It's a girl!" he proudly announced and beamed.

Devon pulled the young man into a quick hug. "Congratulations."

Michael was still overcome with joy and had to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Thanks. I'm going to get back to Bonnie. I just wanted to come out and let you know she's fine. I'll have Kitt tell you what room they put her in." Something finally filtered into his clouded mind and he frowned. "Where is Charley?"

Devon made a small motion with one hand to dismiss any worry. "Charley is fine. I had him picked up about twenty minutes ago and brought to the State Attorney's office. He is giving his whole recount of the past week as we speak."

"Better them than you, huh?" Michael was hard pressed not to smile.

"Yes, uh, well, get back to Bonnie and send her my love. I'll come back when she is fully settled in the room to meet your new daughter." Devon said and shook Michael's hand. "Take care."

"I will, Devon." He released the other man's hand and practically bounded back into the room where his new family awaited him.

* * *

Four days later Bonnie was released from the hospital and allowed to go home with the baby. Michael had installed the car seat into Kitt and had brought them home. He helped Bonnie get unpacked and even took his turn in holding little Rebecca Danielle Knight as they walked through the Foundation Mansion.

Bonnie loved to see him with the baby, there was not a more doting daddy than the one she had her eyes upon right now. He would hold his daughter carefully and safely. She couldn't help but smile at the amount of times he leaned over to kiss the small head.

Today he was carrying the baby to the main living room and placed her down in the bassinette so she could rest. Bonnie sat on the couch next to the baby and sighed. Now life was finally getting back to normal.

Michael sat beside her and hugged her. "I don't ever think I've told you just how happy you have made me. I used to think that I didn't want any children, but now I see nothing but the joy they bring. Thank you, Bonnie."

"Michael," she opened her mouth to respond but he stopped her with a single look.

"I also want to say that I was very scared about becoming a family, of loving someone so much that you want to spend eternity with them." He continued while looking deep into her eyes. "Bonnie I love you so much that I can't even bear the thought of spending the rest of my life without you and my daughter." He then produced a small box from somewhere that he had hidden nearby.

Bonnie gasped slightly as she realized just what he was about to do.

He got up from the couch and got down on one knee and took her hand in his own while opening up the box and showing her a most brilliant diamond. "Bonnie, please say you will do me the honor of becoming my wife. Will you marry me?"

Bonnie's head spun as her eyes filled with tears. She already had her baby, and her job at FLAG to make her content. But to be Michael's wife? Nothing would make her happier. She nodded as the tears slipped free. "Yes, Michael!" she nodded her head enthusiastically. "I'd love to marry you!"

He slipped the ring free from its velvet case and slid it onto her finger before entwining his hands in hers. He then pulled her towards him in a passionate kiss. "I love you, Bonnie."

The kiss was broken by the wail of a newborn who was very much awake and hungry. Bonnie released her hold on Michael. "Save that kiss for later, honey. I hear someone who wants my attention just as much as you do."

Michael chuckled as he lifted the baby up to pass her to Bonnie to nurse. Three months ago, he was miserable and now he was the happiest man on the planet. He watched as Bonnie attached the baby to her breast and began to feed her. Yes, he was the happiest man around. He had a beautiful baby, a wonderful woman who had just agreed to marry him and the world most exquisite wonder car for a partner.

He had it all, and he knew now he didn't need anything else for the rest of his life. Wilton Knight had it wrong. It wasn't that one man could make a difference, it was one woman. One special woman made all the difference in the world.

And with that thought in his mind he wrapped one arm around his family and smiled.

-The End


End file.
